Mahasiswa Asing Kunjungi Balai Perlindungan Lansia DIY
Mahasiswa Asing Kunjungi Balai Perlindungan Lansia DIY
Mahasiswa Asing Kunjungi Balai Perlindungan Lansia DIY
Tens of international students from various countries joined Universitas Gadjah Mada’s summer course for three weeks from 29 October-16 November. Coming from Malaysia, Netherlands, Greece, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, and Singapore, they had the chance to learn healthcare services of senior citizens in Indonesia.
They visited the Tresna Wredha Abiyoso nursing home in Pakem, Sleman regency on Thursday (1/11). The 23 students in addition to the 34 UGM shared with the senior citizens.
May Pawena, nursing student from Mahidol University, Thailand, said she found it interesting to join the summer course, because it relates with healthcare services of senior citizens which corresponds to her studies in Mahidol University. “The event taught me more about senior citizens community protection,” she said.
Similarly, Julia De Qerrol, from Vray University in the Netherlands, expressed her excitement in visiting the nursing home because she had never done it in the Netherlands. “This is the first time for me, I was very happy to meet the senior citizens and see them do many activities and always stay happy,” said Julia. Julia also joined the game when the UGM students asked them to sing together and clap hands.
Parman (69) who has stayed at the nursing home for five years said he was happy to be visited by the students which he said as one of the efforts to motivate him to have a better life while in the care. “For me this visit is a kind of a therapy to always refresh our soul, because living here we feel like we are just waiting for the time when God calls us,” he said.
Field coordinator of the summer course, Drs. Abdul Wahab MPH, said the summer course this time was the third time since 2016. It is a collaboration between three faculties, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Faculty of Dentistry, and Faculty of Pharmacy. “The summer course is to improve the campus internationalisation image. We want our students to learn and interact with the international students so, going forward, they can form a synergy,” he said.
Head of the Tresna Wredha Abiyoso nursing home, Drs. Fatchan, Msi., said Yogyakarta had two nursing homes for senior citizens. “Annually, they can accommodate up to 214 clients,” he said,
He said in the province there are as many as 45 thousand of senior citizens who are neglected, but only 214 can be accommodated. He added apart from the neglected people, the service also care for senior citizens who are sent by their families that pay monthly fees. “This special services consist of 28 people, the rest - 186 - are freed from fees,” he said.