NERS NEWS — Surabaya — Nursing students from the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, who are currently undertaking Clinical Nursing Practice at UPTD Griya Wreda Surabaya, conducted a Group Activity Therapy (GAT) session with the theme “Motor and Cognitive Stimulation through Fruit Sando Making.” This activity was one form of nursing intervention aimed at helping older adults maintain and improve their motor skills and cognitive functions through creative, educational, and enjoyable activities.
The activity was held in the dining hall of UPTD Griya Wreda Surabaya and involved older adults as participants. The event began with introductions and a brief educational session about the benefits of fruit consumption for older adults’ health. The students then demonstrated how to make fruit sando before participants practiced it directly with guidance from the facilitators.
Fruit sando making was chosen as a therapeutic medium because it can provide both motor and cognitive stimulation simultaneously. During the activity, older adults performed various tasks such as handling ingredients, spreading cream, arranging fruit slices, and assembling the fruit sando according to their own creativity. These activities helped train hand-eye coordination, improve fine motor skills, and maintain concentration, memory, and the ability to follow simple instructions.
In addition to focusing on physical and cognitive stimulation, this activity also provided social and emotional benefits for participants. Through interactions during the fruit sando-making process, older adults had the opportunity to communicate, share experiences, and build closer relationships with fellow residents and assisting students. The warm and enjoyable atmosphere throughout the activity also helped enhance motivation, self-confidence, and feelings of happiness among the older adults.
Participants showed great enthusiasm throughout the activity. The older adults were actively engaged in every stage of making fruit sando and felt proud of the results they created. Besides serving as a therapeutic activity, this program also provided education about the importance of fruit consumption as part of a healthy diet to maintain health and prevent various degenerative diseases in older age.
Through this Group Activity Therapy activity, nursing students from the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga hope to contribute to improving the quality of life of older adults through a holistic approach, focusing not only on physical aspects but also cognitive, social, and psychological aspects. This activity also served as an opportunity for students to apply nursing knowledge directly in supporting the health and well-being of older adults.
Writer: Annisa Desdarianita, C8 Batch 2 Clinical Nursing Practice
