Growing
Elderly Population Brings New Health Challenges
Indonesia is
experiencing a steady increase in its elderly population. According to the
Indonesian Central Statistics Agency, older adults accounted for about 11.8%
of the national population in 2024.
This
demographic shift brings several health challenges, particularly related to:
- understanding proper nutrition
- managing chronic diseases
- adhering to prescribed medication
schedules
In Jelarai
Village Km. 2, many elderly residents were found to have limited knowledge
about balanced nutrition and often struggled to follow medication schedules.
Limited access to health information and relatively low education levels
further contributed to the problem.
These issues
are especially concerning because elderly individuals are more vulnerable to
chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease.
Health
Education Program for the Elderly
To address
these challenges, researchers from Ngudi Waluyo University implemented a
community empowerment program conducted at Posyandu Sumber Kasih in Jelarai
Village.
The program
ran from November 12 to December 11, 2025, and involved 40 elderly
participants aged 60 years and above.
Participant
characteristics included:
- 24 women (60%)
- 16 men (40%)
Most
participants were between 60 and 69 years old, and many had a primary
school education background.
The program
used several educational approaches, including:
- health education sessions on
balanced nutrition for elderly individuals
- counseling on the importance of
medication adherence
- individual health consultations
- demonstrations on preparing
healthy meal plans
- practical guidance on using
medication reminders
These methods
were designed to ensure that elderly participants could easily understand and
apply the information in their daily lives.
Significant
Improvement in Nutritional Knowledge
Evaluation
results showed a clear improvement in participants’ understanding of nutrition.
The pre-test
results indicated that only 45% of participants had good knowledge of
balanced nutrition. After receiving health education and nutritional
counseling, the post-test results increased to approximately 78% of
participants demonstrating good nutritional knowledge.
The
improvement was particularly noticeable in participants’ understanding of:
- recommended food types for
elderly individuals
- appropriate portion sizes
- recommended meal frequency
- healthy food preparation methods
Researchers
reported that participants showed high enthusiasm during the sessions, actively
asking questions and discussing ways to maintain proper nutrition despite
economic limitations.
Medication
Adherence Also Improved
In addition
to improving nutritional knowledge, the program significantly increased
medication adherence among participants.
Before the intervention, only 52.5% of the elderly participants followed their prescribed medication schedules correctly. After the program was implemented, adherence increased to 85%.
Several
practical strategies contributed to this improvement, including:
- using phone alarms as medication
reminders
- organizing medicine boxes labeled
by day
- simplifying medication schedules
- involving family members in
monitoring medication routines
Family
support proved to be a critical factor in helping elderly participants maintain
consistent medication habits.
Interactive
Education Played a Key Role
One of the
main reasons for the program’s success was the use of interactive and
participant-friendly educational methods.
Health
information was delivered in a simple and engaging manner, supported by visual
materials such as posters and informational leaflets to help elderly
participants better understand and remember the information.
The program
also involved village officials, community health volunteers, and local
healthcare providers, ensuring effective implementation and community support.
Remaining
Challenges
Despite the
program’s positive results, about 15% of participants still did not achieve
optimal medication adherence.
Several
barriers were identified, including:
- limited financial resources to
purchase medication regularly
- side effects experienced from
medication
- insufficient family support
These factors
highlight the need for broader collaboration across sectors to address health
challenges faced by elderly populations.
Importance
of Sustainable Programs
Researchers
emphasize that maintaining behavioral changes requires long-term and
sustainable programs.
As a
follow-up initiative, local village authorities and health volunteers have
agreed to organize monthly meetings for elderly participants. These
meetings will serve as a platform to share experiences, discuss challenges, and
reinforce healthy lifestyle habits.
Such
community-based initiatives could serve as a model for similar programs in
other villages.
Conclusion
The elderly
empowerment program implemented in Jelarai Village Km. 2, Bulungan Regency
proved effective in improving both nutritional understanding and medication
adherence among elderly residents.
The study
reported that:
- nutritional knowledge increased
from 45% to 78%
- medication adherence increased
from 52.5% to 85%
These findings demonstrate that structured health education, community engagement, and family support can significantly improve elderly health outcomes.
Author
Profiles
- Hj. Nurhaeni-Ngudi Waluyo University
- Mauludin-Ngudi Waluyo University
- Nuraidha-Ngudi Waluyo University
- Rini Purwandari-Ngudi Waluyo University
- Marciana Carceres De Carvalho-Ngudi Waluyo University
- Ummu Muntamah - Ngudi Waluyo University
Research Source
Nurhaeni, H., Mauludin, Nuraidha, Purwandari, R., Carvalho, M. C. D., & Muntamah, U. (2026).Empowering the Elderly to Improve Nutritional Understanding and Medication Compliance in Jelarai Village, Km. 2, Tanjung Selor, Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan. Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Bestari (JPMB), Vol. 5 No. 2, 155–164.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/jpmb.v5i2.623
URL: https://nblformosapublisher.org/index.php/jpmb
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