"If we are happy, our immune system and our stamina will be stronger to resist various diseases from our body," Rismaharini stated at the National Elderly Day commemoration here on Wednesday.
The minister remarked that the elderly should maintain their health to enable them to continue their daily activities independently without assistance and thus not become a burden on their families and neighbors.
Rismaharini highlighted that one of the ways to maintain health and a positive mood among seniors is by engaging in physical activity at public health centers.
The minister encouraged senior citizens to maintain their positive and youthful spirit in old age, as she showed while responding to a question from an elderly person about her age.
"I am 17!" the minister joyfully responded to the elderly.
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She also encouraged the elderly to maintain cordial relations with relatives to prevent them from feeling lonely.
"Perhaps, I will be alone someday, but if we care about each other, we can tell each other (about our conditions). That is the function of maintaining relations," Rismaharini stated.
The 2024 National Elderly Day commemoration agenda in North Aceh District, Aceh, involved 4,982 elderly. They can access various forms of health assistance, such as cataract surgery, blood donors, and free health checkups, during the event.
The government also provided administrative assistance for the elderly, such as electronic ID cards and family registration, as well as matrimony registration for elderly couples whose marriages were not recorded by the state on the agenda.
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Translator: Sean Filo Muhamad, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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