Jakarta, IO – Aging is typically associated with mental and physical suffering. The older you get, the worse it becomes. After centuries of research, medical experts today categorize geriatric syndromes – the health issues that normally occur as one passes 60 years of age – into thirteen specific categories, nicknamed the “13 Is”. These vary in intensity, from mildly irritating to heavily obstructive to daily activities, impairments ruining quality of life.
The 13 I’s are: Instability (difficulty maintaining physical stability, resulting in a tendency to fall easily); Immobility (inability to move around freely); Intellectual impairment (memory or cognitive dysfunction); urinary or fecal Incontinence (inability to control urination and fecal excretion); Impaction (constipation, inability to urinate or excrete feces); mental and emotional Isolation (caused by depression or excessive sadness); Impotence (sexual impairment); Immunodeficiency (reduced immunity, enabling easier infection); Infection (persistently having to deal with sores or pains); Iatrogenesis (sickening easily, as a reaction to medications or treatment); Impairment of vision or hearing; Inanity (loss of will to do anything – even eating – potentially leading to atrophy or malnutrition); and Impecuniousness (difficulty to earn or save money).
In a live IG “Acupuncture in Geriatrics” session held on Tuesday (12/07/2022), dr. Stefanus Agung Budianto, Sp.Ak, a Persahabatan Hospital Jakarta acupuncture specialist, stated that because of their delicate and complex conditions, geriatric patients may require holistic treatment from all sciences, including acupuncture. “There is no difference between acupuncture treatments for geriatrics, adults, and children. The difference is that elders have more complex problems, in that their hormonal, immunology, and adaptive statuses and abilities are relatively reduced,” he said.