Maintaining Activity and Positive Thinking amid Pandemic

Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan

Dozens of elderly who are members of the Hang Tuah Healthy Heart Club Jakarta do regular heart health exercises on Thursday (5/3/2020) at Hang Tuah Park, South Jakarta. Nearly 50 percent of active club members are aged 50-80 years.

Growing old is not always associated with disease, declining memory, inactivity or loneliness. Amid the pandemic, senior citizens or people of advanced years can still remain active and productive despite the necessity to take care of themselves to prevent Covid-19 infection.

Tati Idawati, 66, was on her way from Cawang, East Jakarta, to her house in Tamansari, Bogor regency, on Wednesday evening (17/6/2020). She had just prepared the activity of the National Social Workers Union (IPSM) that was going to organize coronavirus rapid tests.

“Previously [before the pandemic] I went on Jakarta-Bogor trips by commuter train,” she said. Since the pandemic, her child, wary of her exposure to Covid-19, has allowed the use a car and a driver to support the activity of the woman who has three children and seven grandchildren.

Although she belongs to a group considered to be vulnerable, Tati continues to be actively engaged in her routine activities amid the pandemic. While handling IPSM programs, she has to care for 10 neglected elderly people in Tresna Werdha Nurul Taubat Nursing Home, Tamansari, Bogor, and 102 street children in the shelter in Cibinong, Bogor, under her management.

During this pandemic, they distribute government aid to the displaced elderly.

Outside the institutions, along with other social workers, she also takes care of about 300 homeless people around Tamansari. During this pandemic, they distribute government aid to the displaced elderly.

“Speaking of fear, yes, I’m scared, especially since I am a diabetic. But as this is my obligation, I’ve got to carry it out,” she pointed out.

To minimize the risk of exposure as a senior citizen handling older people, Tati equips herself with a face mask and hand sanitizer. For Tati, who has been a social worker for 16 years, helping others gives her happiness and inner satisfaction.Until yesterday, based on the Covid-19 Rapid Response Task Force, 14.1 percent of confirmed Covid-19 cases were aged people, higher than the number of Indonesian senior citizens in 2020, which is 10.65 percent of the population. Besides, 43.6 percent of Covid-19 patients who died were elderly as well.

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

By using a mask and wheelchair location they commemorate the National Elderly Day at the Elim Nursing Home, Semarang City, Central Java, Friday (29/5/2020). Old age is one of the most vulnerable and fatal groups to contract Covid-19.

More productive

The attempt to remain active at an advanced age is also made by Murniaty Wardani, 65, a member of the Happy Senior Citizens Group of the Kebon Jeruk Community Health Center, West Jakarta. Staying at home for the last three months has made her even more productive.

“During the pandemic, online and phone orders for serabi [pancake with sweet coconut milk] have been flooding in,” she told a webinar to mark the National Elderly Day organized by the Health Ministry on Tuesday (16/6). Cooking is her longtime hobby. Apart from doing it for her family, she also turns this pursuit into a part-time business.

While at home, she also has a lot of time to resume other long abandoned hobbies like gardening and knitting. Quite often, while doing the pastimes including some physical exercise, she invites her grandchildren to join.

Leading a happy daily life amid social restrictions is also pursued by Belinda Gunawan, 77, a former Femina Group journalist. “A grandma’s activity is reading and writing, while making grandchildren’s clothes,” she said.

Since she retired in 2006, she had actively provided training for journalists until 2016. Today she continues to write several books and short stories as well as opinions on her Facebook.

At first only her son dared to enter her home for fear of transmitting the coronavirus as Belinda was there. But now her daughter, son-in-law and eldest grandchild have followed suit.

For the elderly, the support of children and grandchildren during the pandemic is very significant. Their support boosts the spirit of senior citizens in living their daily lives.

However, not all aged people can enjoy such existence. The displaced elderly under Tati’s care generally feel they are neglected by families. Although their children are better off, they are mostly placed in backyard quarters in limited conditions. “Many of them are emotionally hurt by their children,” she said.

Malnutrition

Most of the abandoned elderly suffer from malnutrition. A researcher from the Population and Public Health Research Center of Trisakti University,

Jakarta, Nugroho Abikusno, mentioned several symptoms of malnutrition among aged people such as irritability, touchiness and depression. “They can also feel exhausted most of the time in spite of sufficient sleep,” he said.

Malnutrition can also make them less focused, lose appetite, often feel chilly in warm weather and their hair fall out. In addition, the psychosocial life of the elderly should also receive due attention.

Dean of the Medical and Health Science Faculty of Atma Jaya Indonesian Catholic University, Jakarta, Yuda Turana, said aged people had generally been subjected to misinformation, both as hoax victims and accidental hoaxers. The hoaxes circulated mostly concern drugs, supplements or herbs related to the coronavirus.

Negative things that are repeated get easily stored in the brain and lower the brain’s function.

News about deaths or negative coronavirus reports also get the elderly’s easy reception. In fact, repeated exposure to negative reports increases anxiety, depression and dementia. “Negative things that are repeated get easily stored in the brain and lower the brain’s function,” he said. The trouble is that other information, including positive news, just becomes easily forgotten by aged people.

Apart from negative information, physical restrictions can make the elderly feel lonely. Actually loneliness increases the risk of a heart attack, stroke and death. “Although separated by distance, connection with aged people should psychologically be maintained,” said Yuda.

Therefore, according to Murniaty, it’s important for senior citizens to maintain positive thinking during the pandemic. “Positive thinking produces a favorable effect, creating a peaceful life and enjoyable old age,” she said.

Positive thinking can be maintained by always feeling grateful, cherishing optimism, regularly consuming medicines and being all smiles. Avoiding anger, hatred, disappointment or regret as well as keeping away from gossip and slander also builds up better old-age psychology.

Improved psychology of the elderly can also be bolstered by routine exercise, good dietary habits, cognitive training, engaging in hobbies and recreation, as well as sleeping 7-8 hours a night.