Depok, November 2, 2023 – Elderly health has become an increasing concern in urban areas, especially in Depok City, where the elderly population continues to grow. However, a major issue is the lack of comprehensive data to monitor their health conditions. This challenge arises due to the limited number of healthcare workers at local community health centers (puskesmas) who can serve and record data on the elderly population. As a result, puskesmas have struggled to design effective preventive and promotive programs aimed at reducing the decline in physical functions among the elderly.

To address this problem, the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FIA UI), in collaboration with Sakubi Teknologi Indonesia and UPTD Sukamaju Baru in Depok, has taken a significant step by launching a specialized application called “Lantera” to monitor the elderly population in Sukamaju Baru Village. With 15 community units (RW) in the village and only 26 staff members at the local puskesmas, there is a clear need for additional support. Currently, the puskesmas is assisted by elderly health volunteers (Posbindu Lansia), with at least five volunteers in each community unit.

“At the university, we uphold the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, which includes teaching, research, and community service (Pengmas). Our concern for the welfare of the elderly led to the creation of the Lantera application, which stands for ‘Lansia Sejahtera’ (Elderly Welfare). We appreciate the dedication of the volunteers working with the puskesmas to improve elderly care in Sukamaju Baru. We hope this initiative will continue and expand,” said Drs. Kusnar Budi, M.Bus., Head of the Community Service Program.

To enhance elderly healthcare monitoring, FIA UI organized training sessions for the puskesmas volunteers. The program included two main components: Mobile Health Clinic Operator Training (OKKB) and Elderly Health Monitoring System Training, held over two days. The first session took place on Friday, October 20, 2023, and was led by Susilawati Sastrahadi, S.KM., M.KM., focusing on training volunteers to detect and address elderly health issues.

“This training equips the volunteers with the knowledge and skills needed to identify and address health concerns among the elderly in their communities,” said Susilawati.

The second session, on Saturday, October 21, 2023, focused on operating the Lantera application. Led by Nisa Ismundari Wildan, A.Md. AKP., the training emphasized that the Elderly Health Monitoring System was designed to help puskesmas track the health conditions of the elderly, ensuring early detection of health problems and preventing costly medical complications.

Wahyu Nofiantoro, S.Sos., M.Si., one of the system developers, highlighted that the application aims to foster regular interaction between volunteers and the elderly, reducing social isolation.

Looking ahead, the Lantera application is expected to be an essential tool for both puskesmas and families to monitor elderly health. Volunteers will conduct routine home visits to ensure ongoing health monitoring and intervention when needed.

The training sessions, held in the Sukamaju Baru Puskesmas Hall, were attended by nine volunteers. This program is expected to enhance the skills and knowledge of puskesmas volunteers, improving elderly care and enabling comprehensive data mapping in Sukamaju Baru Village. There are also hopes to expand this initiative to other regions for broader community benefits.

“Alhamdulillah, through this training, we learned effective communication techniques to engage with the elderly, ensuring our approach is respectful and supportive,” said Ibu Astuti, a puskesmas volunteer.

This community service initiative aims to improve the quality of elderly healthcare in Depok City. Also present at the event were Fitria Ariyanti, S.IA, and Lilin Arini, S.AP, members of the FIA UI Community Service Team.