How to Support Dementia Patients and Caregivers

Globally and in Singapore, dementia is extremely common, especially among the elderly. 1 in 10 people above the age of 60 suffer from dementia, and the number of persons living with dementia is expected to continue rising. Having dementia in a bustling city like Singapore is extremely dangerous, and it is possible that bouts of dementia occur at any moment. To prevent any life-or-death situation from occurring, more of the public need to be aware of dementia and how to help out, both the dementia patient and the caregiver. After all, should the dementia patient have a bout of dementia, they may not only be a risk to themselves, but also to those around them. In an incident I witnessed a few days ago, I noticed an elderly man wandering around the MRT station. I was, at the time, unsure of what to do and did not approach him, however, someone stepped forward and the situation was soon resolved as he found a lanyard with a relative’s phone number hanging around the man’s neck, and then proceeded to sit with the man while his relative arrived. Such initiative and awareness of the conditions and symptoms dementia patients face is not common, but it should be, especially in Singapore, and it is important for us to understand that and develop it.

Dementia care and management is also something that lacks awareness. Those families who have elderly with dementia need to be provided with the support and help that they need to allow them to take care of their family members. This can be provided through various ways and means to allow the elderly to receive the care they need, as well as to allow their family members piece of mind and a break from the constant stress and pressure caregivers often face. Perhaps Community Centres could include some games and activities for dementia patients as well as their caregivers, such as jigsaw puzzles, snakes and ladders, bongo or dominoes. Children can play their part in taking care of their elderly grandparents and neighbours. For children, having a grandparent who has dementia would be especially heart-breaking as they may not be able to remember their grandchildren. Even children need opportunities to realise the impact of dementia on the elderly. Schools and preschools and old age homes could partner with each other, to create awareness as well as empathy to open up ways for he children to interact with the elderly, such as through learning journeys and volunteering opportunities. This makes it possible for children to step up and try to help out by playing dementia-friendly games, stimulating their memory and trying to support their grandparents in any way possible. Together, we can become a more inclusive society, accepting of both dementia patients and their caregivers.

1 in 10 people above the age of 60 suffer from dementia.