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Decommissioning of Dementia Friends App

Admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 05:47:31 +0000

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The Agency of Integrated Care (AIC) has decommissioned the Dementia Friends App since 31 December 2022. The Dementia Friends app was developed to empower caregivers with the knowledge, resources and support they need to better care for their loved ones living with dementia. The app also served as a platform for caregivers to alert the community, including members of public who have signed up as Dementia Friends, in the event that their loved one goes missing.

Although the Dementia Friends app has ceased operations, you can continue to play a part in supporting persons living with dementia with the CARA mobile app.

Dementia Friends App Transitions to CARA

As part of the Dementia-Friendly Movement, the Dementia Friends app has transitioned to CARA – a newly developed mobile app developed by Dementia Singapore, with support from the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC) and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS).

In 2021, CARA – which is an acronym for Community, Assurance, Rewards and Acceptance, was birthed as a lifestyle and community digital platform providing easy access for persons living with dementia and caregivers to connect to an ecosystem of solutions. Positioned as the nation’s first dementia membership programme, the application offered persons living with dementia and their caregivers a suite of carefully curated list of benefits and solutions to navigate their dementia journey. Another key feature of CARA was the digital Safe Return function offering members living with dementia a physical card with a unique QR code for members of public to connect with caregivers in incidences where they were found in the community.

Riding off this Caregiver support solution, CARA expanded to incorporate Dementia Hub as the go-to resource portal for caregivers who are in need of practical tips and key information to better understand their loved one’s condition. CARA also serves as a platform for caregivers to electronically broadcast for help within the CARA community and social media channels when their loved ones go missing.

Click buttons to download the CARA mobile app:

“With CARA, we aim to provide the best community care platform for persons living with dementia and their caregivers, now and into the future. What sets CARA apart from any dementia membership programmes in the world is the utilisation of technology to facilitate the safe return of a person living with dementia swiftly back to his or her family when things go wrong.”

– Mr Jason Foo, CEO of Dementia Singapore

In 2023, CARA introduced additional features to enable reminiscence in their dementia care: My Radio, A nostalgia-focused music streaming feature, and My Memories, a digital memory album to record the positive personal stories of persons living with dementia.

Dementia Friends – Why You Are Important

Despite the changes in their cognitive abilities, many persons living with dementia still desire to go out of their homes to keep themselves meaningfully occupied. A person living with dementia may decide to take a walk in their neighbourhood or visit a loved one’s house but may not remember where they had intended to go. Additionally, persons living with dementia often have trouble with orientation, which means that may not be able to make their way home because their surrounding environment looks and feels unfamiliar to them.

Dementia-Friendly Neighbourhoods

Find out more about how adjustments to physical and social environments in our neighbourhoods can be made to aid way finding.

It is an emotionally-draining and worrying experience for caregivers when they find their loved ones living with dementia missing. It is recommended to thoroughly search around the vicinity of the home and commonly frequented places. However, this may be a challenge for primary caregivers who are seniors, and for caregivers from smaller family units who have to look for their missing loved one themselves whilst juggling other caregiving responsibilities.

As such, the community and network of Dementia Friends play an enormously critical role in helping caregivers in their time of crisis, especially with expanding the reach of the search. Caregivers are able to activate this network and seek out help to search for their loved one living with dementia who is away from home for an unusually long time.

How You Can Play a Part with CARA

CARA Sign Up Guide:

This video offers a step-by-step guide on how to register for a CARA account on the CARA SG mobile app as a caregiver, person living with dementia or member of the public.

You can play a part as a Dementia Friend to support persons living with dementia who are lost in your community and learn more about dementia by downloading the CARA mobile app. Join in on the #DementiaFriendlySG Movement as we strive to build a Dementia-Friendly Singapore together.

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CARA: A Pioneering Membership Programme

Admin — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 09:07:49 +0000

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What is CARA?

Community | Assurance | Rewards | Acceptance

CARA is a lifestyle and community digital platform that offers tools and resources to support persons living with dementia and their caregivers through their journey.

With CARA, caregivers can rely on key safety features such as Safe Return and Report Missing Person, which provide assurance that their loved ones with dementia can continue to move about independently and safely within the community. By enabling family members and friends to stay connected through their Care Circle, CARA also strengthens shared caregiving and ensures everyone stays informed.

Members can also access resources, and enjoy rewards and perks from dementia-friendly partners, helping to ease day-to-day caregiving challenges while encouraging meaningful, engaged lives for those with dementia.

Be Part of the CARA Community!

CARA is open to everyone who wishes to support the dementia community, even if you are not living with or caring for someone with dementia. Through the app, members can learn more about dementia, receive alerts to assist in reuniting lost persons with their caregivers, and become part of a supportive network of CARA advocates.

Latest Enhancements

The Dementia Go-to Point Locator feature in CARA helps members of the public easily find nearby safe return points in the community where they can bring persons with dementia to receive assistance.

In partnership with SPH Media, CARA’s Radio and Podcast feature lets all users tune in to a variety of channels directly from the app. Previously offering only Vintage Radio SG, it now includes 4 local radio stations and 8 English and Mandarin podcasts focused on positivity, health and reminiscence.

As part of Dementia Singapore, CARA works with caregivers, organisations, and the community to create a stronger, more inclusive dementia care ecosystem.

To find out more about CARA, visit their website.

Who Can Sign Up, and How?

CARA membership is available to all Singapore residents. Members living with dementia will receive a physical CARA card and e-card in the app. Caregivers will only receive the e-card.

To sign up, download the CARA SG mobile application from Google Play for Android users or the App Store for Apple iOS users and you will be guided through the sign-up process.

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Related Resource

When CARA Helped Reunite a Lost Senior with His Family

Source: Dementia Singapore

Learn more about how CARA was used to reunite a person living with dementia member with his family.

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New mobile app helps reunite lost persons with dementia with their caregivers

Source: CNA

A new mobile app has been developed to help reunite people with dementia and their caregivers. Dementia Singapore’s CARA allows the public to inform caregivers should a dementia patient become lost.

Dementia care: OneService app broadcasts missing person reports to its 500,000-plus users

Source: CNA

Persons with dementia who are lost can now be reunited with their families, quicker.

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Dementia-Inclusive Design Principles

Admin — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 10:32:36 +0000

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In recent years, there has been a growing pool of dementia-inclusive design guiding principles developed by subject matter experts, intended for laypersons, caregivers, and care professionals to address and enhance the different aspects of the physical environments that persons with dementia live in.

To be in line with the delivery of person-centred dementia care, the design process should take into account the voices of persons living with dementia and their families, and the voices of the communities they are from, in a collaborative and consultative manner. Persons living with dementia and their communities can draw on their unique resources and identities to shape their environments. By including the ideas and opinions of persons living with dementia and those who live in the same environment, the design process may be more beneficial and personalized for them.

Common Features Across Various Dementia-Inclusive Design Principles

Across the various design guiding principles developed by experts all over the world, here are some common features that these guidelines have highlighted what a well-designed, supportive dementia-inclusive environment should comprise:^3-6

Homely & Familiar Environment

“Home” symbolizes comfort, safety, and security for many individuals. A homely environment that is familiar to persons living with dementia can provide them with the feelings of security, comfort and warmth. A familiar environment can also help them to know where they are and find where they want to go, further promoting independence and supporting wayfinding. An environment should therefore be familiar to the person living with dementia and reflect the characteristics of a typical Singaporean home setting.

Safety

Dementia brings about changes to the brain that may impair risk assessment abilities and affect judgments. It is important to create a safe environment for persons living with dementia to move around, such as increasing visibility, reducing clutter, preventing falls and avoiding access to high-risk areas.

Supporting Cognitive & Functional Abilities

A well-designed supportive environment can compensate for the cognitive impairments and functional limitations that dementia causes. Some ways to support the remaining abilities of persons living with dementia include:

Appropriate and adequate lighting help to reduce eyestrain and improve depth perception
Strong colour contrasts between table tops and dinnerware help to improve differentiation
Not too much patterns in walls and flooring help to prevent distraction

Appropriate
Environmental/ Sensory Stimulation

Too many stimuli in the surroundings can overstimulate persons living with dementia, leading to negative behavioural changes (e.g., confusion, disorientation, agitation, anxiety, etc.). A calm and serene environment can alleviate distress and minimize behavioural changes.

Thus, to support persons living with dementia to interact positively with their surroundings, there should be a balance in the amount of stimuli that they are exposed to. Negative stimuli should be reduced and positive stimuli should be encouraged.

Avoid exposure to:

Loud noises and continuous sound
Drastic swings in temperatures
Inadequate lighting
Bright and confusing prints

Empowerment & Autonomy

A well-designed supportive environment should empower persons with dementia to live as independently and as autonomously as possible, such as moving around by themselves and managing their own choices. This can maximize their well-being and confidence levels.

Personal Space & Privacy

Physical spaces of different functions can be created for persons living with dementia. There should be a space for them to get some privacy and enjoy quiet moments by themselves.

In centre-based services and care facilities, physical spaces for operational functions, such as delivery of goods or rubbish collection, should be designed in a manner that they do not come into the view of persons living with dementia, to reduce interference and disturbance to them.

Activity Space & Meaningful Participation

There should be physical spaces and opportunities for persons living with dementia to engage in individual and group activities which are meaningful and purposeful to them, as activities can help to maintain their cognitive and functional abilities. Activities offered to persons living with dementia should be tailored to their preferences and interests during that period of time, and be culturally and age appropriate as well.

Opportunities for Social Interactions

In centre-based services and care facilities, furniture and seating can be arranged in a manner where groups of persons living with dementia can socialize and interact, promoting their well-being.

Accessibility

A dementia-inclusive community would offer persons living with dementia easy accessibility to essential services and amenities in the neighbourhood (e.g., post office, markets/supermarkets, banks, hospitals and clinics, etc.).

Resources on Dementia-Inclusive Design Principles

Checklists and audit tools are typically included along with dementia-inclusive design guiding principles, for laypersons, caregivers, and/or care professionals to assess and identify key areas for improvement in the physical environments to better support persons living with dementia. Most of these checklists and assessment/audit tools can be self-administered.

Some of these improvements can be as small as creating signages or changing the lightings at a low cost, while others may involve larger-scale renovations which will require a higher budget. No matter what these changes are, they can have a major impact in creating dementia-inclusive environments for persons living with dementia.

In the following sections, design guiding principles developed by subject matter experts all over the world, have been consolidated and classified according to the different settings they can be applied to. Resources which contain the abovementioned checklists and assessment/audit tools will be indicated in the tables below.

Please note that the following lists of resources of design guiding principles, and checklists and assessment/audit tools are not exhaustive. Additionally, there is no one perfect checklist or assessment/audit tool, users may select one or a combination of several tools that suit their needs.

Most importantly, one should understand and be thoroughly familiar with the guiding principles to design and create a dementia-inclusive and person-centred environment, before putting them into practice.

The section below lists resources on dementia-inclusive design for:

Physical Environments of Various Settings
Outdoor Environments

List of Resources on Physical Environments of Various Settings

Local Resources

Dementia-Friendly Environment Design (Basic)

Part 1: Dementia-Friendly Environmental Design Principles
Source: Agency For Integrated Care

Introduction to Dementia-Friendly environmental design and the role that a positive environment can have on dementia care.
Relationship between environment and how the design principles can be applied in built environments in Singapore.

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Part 2: Leveraging on Technology and Cultural Sensitivity in Dementia Care. The use of Localised Tool: Singapore Environment Assessment Tool (SEAT)
Source: Agency For Integrated Care

Principles of Dementia-Inclusive design principles
Understand the use of Singapore Environmental Assessment Tool (SEAT).
The role of technology and culture in Dementia-Friendly Design.

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“Looking to the Future” (2nd Edition) and Singaporean Environment Assessment Tool (SEAT)
Source: Agency For Integrated Care

The second edition of “Looking to the Future” serves as a guidebook to build dementia-friendly design in community care facilities in Singapore. This booklet details the six principles in designing dementia-friendly facilities and spaces, providing recommendations and examples of how users may put these principles into practice in various physical spaces, including:

Common Areas (lobby, lift lobbies, entrances and exits)
Bedrooms
Toilets and Showers
Therapeutic Activity Spaces
Sensory and Reminiscence Areas
Quiet Spaces
Dining Areas and Dry Pantries
Therapeutic Gardens and Outdoor Spaces

The second part of the guidebook introduces the Singaporean Environment Assessment Tool (SEAT), which provides a systematic framework for reviewing environments for persons living with dementia and identifying areas for improvement. The SEAT is designed to be used by a non-design professional and can be completed by a member of staff or a person visiting the facility with minimal knowledge of dementia care.

Overseas Resources

Research for “Dementia and Home Design in Ireland Looking at New Build and Retro-Fit Homes From a Universal Design Approach: Key Findings and Recommendations Report 2015
Source: National Disability Authority Ireland

The National Disability Authority in Ireland has published resources which provide useful pointers and discussion points on designing dementia-inclusive environments.

This 2015 report was written as part of a collaborative research study that was developed to underpin the development of Ireland’s national Guidelines used to inform future design of dwelling for persons living with dementia, and to retrofit existing dwellings using a Universal Design approach.

Universal Design Guidelines Dementia Friendly Dwellings for People With Dementia, Their Families and Carers Centre for Excellence in Universal Design
Source: National Disability Authority Ireland

These guidelines were developed in response to the collaborative research study detailed in the 2015 report above.

List of Resources for the Homes of Persons Living with Dementia

Local Resources

Related Articles:

Elderly- and Dementia-Friendly Environment
Source: Nanyang Polytechnic, AIC, Dementia Singapore

This booklet by Nanyang Polytechnic, Dementia Singapore, and Agency for Integrated Care serves as a guidance and starting point for individuals who intend to build an inclusive, supportive, and sustainable environmental design in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats/apartments where most Singaporeans reside, and in which most elderly and persons living with dementia are living with their families.

It offers recommendations on the therapeutic design of the physical environment, including both environments inside and outside (Residential Estate) of a HDB flat/ apartment.

The booklet also offers a 79-item checklist that reminds and recommends individuals the aspects to focus on when considering designing and building an elderly- and dementia-inclusive environment. This checklist focuses on the following areas:

Spatial Environment
Wayfinding
Accessibility and Safety
Lighting and Nature
Colour Contrast
Tranquil Environment
Barriers or Challenges

Hack Care
Source: Lien Foundation

HACK CARE by LIEN Foundation is a catalogue of more than 240 pages of ideas to make a home a friendlier environment for persons living with dementia and their families. It assembles practical hacks, surprising ideas, and simple tips and tricks to simplify a caregiver’s life as they cope with the daily challenges of caregiving, while transforming them into meaningful and enriching moments.

Overseas Resources

Making Your Home Dementia Friendly
Source: Alzheimer’s Society

The Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom has developed a booklet which describes some of the ways to create a more dementia-inclusive home, to support persons living with dementia and their families.

The booklet comprises multiple sections, where each section covers a different aspect of living at home. Some of the tips offered by this booklet, may require help and support from care professionals as well. The sections include:

Lighting
Furniture and furnishings
Flooring
Eating and drinking
Using the bathroom
Knowing where things are
Keeping things in order
Keeping safe

The booklet contains a checklist that recommends some changes individuals can implement to make their homes more dementia-inclusive.

Safety in and Around the Home
Source: Dementia Australia

This resource by Dementia Australia contains tips on how friends, family, and caregivers of persons living with dementia, can improve the safety of the physical environment in and around the home.

The page comprises a simple safety checklist for individuals to assess their homes for any safety hazards.

Dementia-Friendly Guidelines
Source: Social Care Institute for Excellence, UK

These resources by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) in the United Kingdom, contain information on how the physical environments of various aspects in and around a home can be designed to be more dementia-inclusive, such as:

Kitchen and dining areas
Bedrooms
Toilets and bathrooms
Gardens
Lighting
Assistive technology
Noise levels

List of Resources for Outdoor Environments Only

Local Resources

Six Principles of Dementia-Friendly Neighbourhood
Source: SUTD, AIC

The Agency for Integrated Care and Singapore University of Technology and Design have authored a document which outlines six guiding principles and features which are useful for designing dementia-friendly outdoor spaces and environments in Singapore. Good practices of dementia-friendly interventions are offered in this document for consideration as well.

Overseas Resources

Neighbourhoods for Life
Source: Oxford Centre for Sustainable Development, UK

Mitchell, Burton & Raman (2004) have created a checklist of recommendations to help housing associations/boards improve and design dementia-friendly outdoor environments. These recommendations are supported by findings of a three-year research project.

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Rapoport, A. (1990). The meaning of the built environment: A nonverbal communication approach. University of Arizona Press
Chaudhury, H., & Cooke, H. (2014). Design matters in dementia care: The role of the physical environment in dementia care settings. In M. Downs & B. Bowers (Eds.), Excellence in dementia care: Research into practice (pp. 144-158). Open University Press.
Agency for Integrated Care. (2021). Looking into the future (second edition): Inclusive design for people living with dementia. https://www.aic.sg/resources/Documents/Brochures/Mental%20Health/Looking%20to%20the%20Future.pdf
Nanyang Polytechnic, & Alzheimer’s Disease Association. (2019). Elderly- and dementia-inclusive environment. https://www.aic.sg/resources/Documents/Brochures/Mental%20Health/AIC%20NYP%20Guidebook%20Eng.pdf
Yuen, B., Bhuyan, M. R., Močnik, Š., & Yap, W. (2020). Six principles of dementia-friendly neighbourhood. https://www.aic.sg/resources/Documents/Brochures/Mental%20Health/SUTL%20Dementia%20Friendly%20Guidelines.pdf
Chaudhury, H., Hung, L., & Badger, M. (2013). The Role of Physical Environment in Supporting Person-centered Dining in Long-Term Care. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias, 28(5), 491–500. doi: 10.1177/1533317513488923

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What Is a Dementia-Inclusive Environment?

Admin — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 09:11:05 +0000

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Why Is a Dementia-Inclusive Environment Important?

Researchers have predicted that the number of persons living with dementia around the globe is set to almost triple to more than 150 million by 2050.¹

While dementia already presents a set of challenges for persons living with dementia and their families, stigma and discrimination worsen the psychological, social, emotional and financial impacts on them, such as social rejection, financial insecurity, internalized shame, and isolation.²Similarly, with the rising prevalence of dementia in Singapore, where one in 10 people aged 60 and above is diagnosed with dementia, these ramifications are relevant and of growing concern for the nation with an aging population.

Dementia-inclusive environments are pertinent in mitigating the stigma and discrimination against those affected by dementia.²Such environments enable them to continue living well and be involved meaningfully in the society for as long as possible, to enjoy a good quality of life.

Ensuring the inclusivity of different spaces to persons living with dementia and their families is a society-wide endeavour. Like anyone else, they can participate in many kinds of activities and have access to different spaces when the environment is designed to support their inclusion.

Physical and social environments can be continually designed and altered in dementia-inclusive ways. These environments include both places frequented most by persons living with dementia (e.g., their own homes, centre-based services, long-term care facilities) and the wider environment (e.g., public infrastructure, transport systems, arts and religious spaces, healthcare institutions, public offices).

Defining the Physical & Social Environments for Persons Living With Dementia

There are mainly two types of environments to consider when designing a dementia-inclusive environment for persons living with dementia – the physical environment and the social environment. It is also important to take into account the ways these two types of environments interact with each other.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the physical and social environments as such:

Physical Environment

Refers to the immediate physical surroundings and spaces, including built infrastructure and elements, and industrial and occupational structures²

Examples (but not limited to):

• Roads, pathways, etc.
• Outdoor spaces
• Spatial layout
• Safety features
• Visual cues to orientation
• Lighting

Social Environment

Refers to the social relationships and cultural contexts within which a person lives²

Examples (but not limited to):

• Social and economic processes
• Healthcare and community care programmes and services (Please refer to our article on Programmes & Services to find out more about the efforts to make Singapore’s social environment more dementia-inclusive.)
• Cultural practices
• Religious institutions and practices

Benefits of a Well-Designed & Supportive Physical Environment

As dementia causes changes in the brain, it affects one’s perception and experience of their environments, and consequently the way they interact with the environments and vice versa. Physical environments can thus either support persons living with dementia well, or create bigger problems for them.

Designing and building the physical environments to the experience, cognitive and functional abilities, sensory changes, needs and preferences, lifestyle patterns and life history of persons living with dementia can yield positive outcomes for them.

A well-designed supportive physical environment can have several benefits for persons living with dementia, such as:³

• Reduce behavioural changes, e.g., anxiety, agitation, disorientation, social withdrawal, etc.
• Support remaining cognitive and functional abilities (lower level of dependence in activities of daily living)
• Encourage positive behaviours, e.g., increased social contact
• Enable positive and meaningful engagement
• Provide a sense of comfort and continuity of care

Aspects of Physical Environments to Address for a Dementia-Inclusive Design

A physical environment has four types of elements: (1) Fixed, (2) Semi-fixed and (3) Non-fixed features, and (4) Sensory qualities:^1,2

Fixed

Features which are not movable and rarely change

Examples: Building structure, Walls, Floors, Built-in cabinets, etc.

Semi-Fixed

Features/objects which are movable and changeable

Examples: Flooring material, Window and door materials, Pieces of furniture, etc.

Non-Fixed

Features/objects which are movable and changeable

Examples: Wall decorations, Pictures, Activity materials, etc.

Sensory Qualities

Attributes of an environment that interact with our five senses

Examples: Lighting, Sound, Smell, etc.

The four types of elements are further illustrated below:

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Experience Dementia in Singapore (EDIS)

Admin — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 06:43:15 +0000

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What is in a Day of a Person Living With Dementia?

Step into the shoes of persons living with dementia using the Virtual Reality (VR) application Experience Dementia in Singapore (EDIS).

Dementia is a degenerative condition where symptoms worsen over time. By creating an enabling environment and adopting a person-centred approach in managing the condition, the lived experience of a person living with dementia can be greatly improved.

The EDIS presents the following scenarios to illustrate the challenges of a person living with dementia, and suggests how you, families, and communities can support their enablement.

In a HDB Home

Experience the world through the eyes of Auntie Lucy, a person living with dementia and finds out what her anxieties and frustrations are at home. While understanding from her perspective, find out how the environment and a supportive relationship help in enabling her to be independent.

At the Day-care Centre

Auntie Alice feels bored and restless at a dementia day-care centre. She finds herself often being ignored, and feels that the activities offered are not to her liking. Learn how a care professional can use a person-centred care approach to enable a person living with dementia to feel respected and have an increased sense of belonging.

Heading to the Supermarket

It can be a daunting experience for a person living with dementia to navigate an MRT station that has multiple exits. Journey with Uncle James as he tries to find his way out of a station and complete his grocery shopping at a supermarket.

To enjoy a smooth experience, you are advised to:
• Reduce the number of applications running in the background of your device
• Ensure you are using the latest version of your browser with a good internet connection of at least 1 Mbps

Register here to access the EDIS 360 web application. The link to the application’s VR scenarios will be made available upon completion and submission of the registration form.

Learn how a home can be modified to create a dementia-friendly environment that is more accessible, comfortable, and safe for persons living with dementia.

This VR application was developed by Dementia Singapore, supported by The Majurity Trust, Agency for Integrated Care and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).

Related Resources

EDIS (Experience Dementia in Singapore) Facilitator’s Notes
Source: Dementia Singapore

This Guide is meant to aid trainers, educators or care professionals in facilitating a group session using the EDIS (Experience Dementia in Singapore) web-based videos. It details questions and suggested answers to lead an open-group discussion for comparing the experience of a person living with dementia in the two different HDB virtual scenarios.

Download Resource

Living Inside with Dementia – How A Loving Son Created A Dementia-Friendly Home For His Dad
Source: Straits Times

Daniel and Peter Lim discuss how to live well with dementia by providing a supportive family and creating a dementia-friendly home. This feature also touches on common challenges a family may face upon diagnosis, and the many aspects of care one must consider.

Read Article

360 Degree Virtual Reality Dementia-friendly HDB Home Design Guide
Source: Agency for Integrated Care

Care partner Michelle talks about some modifications she has made to make her home more comfortable for her dad Thomas. This video introduces the localised virtual reality home design guide for caregivers to make their home more dementia-friendly for their loved ones.

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Dementia-Friendly Neighbourhoods

Admin — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 09:23:50 +0000

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This article lists some examples of neighbourhoods in Singapore, where adjustments have been made to address the needs of persons impacted by dementia. These examples feature the adaptation of different aspects of the environment, including the physical and social environments, to aid wayfinding and support the wellbeing of persons living with dementia.

In addition, this guide by the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities from the Singapore University of Technology and Design provides guidelines and recommendations for community partners to build Dementia-Friendly Communities (DFCs) across Singapore.

Kebun Baru

To create an inclusive Dementia-Friendly Community (iDFC) in Kebun Baru (KB), a group of students from NUS Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Centre partners with Dementia Singapore (formerly known as Alzheimer’s Disease Association) to conduct a ground-sensing study to:

• Understand KB residents’ knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia;
• Uncover what a DFC means to them; and
• Explore what can be done to make KB dementia friendly.

From late 2019 to March 2020, a collaborative project between Dementia Singapore, grassroots leaders, and community partners was conducted in the community of Kebun Baru, Ang Mo Kio. One of the initiatives in this project was the Wayfinding Project, which aimed to make wayfinding, that is, navigation of physical surroundings, easier for persons living with dementia in this community.

Discussions were held with two persons living with young-onset dementia, participants from Dementia Singapore’s Voices for Hope programme for persons living with dementia and their caregivers, and Mr Henry Kwek (Member of Parliament and Advisor for Kebun Baru Constituency). Following this, murals of familiar retro items were painted on strategically-located walls at void decks of HDB blocks in two Residents’ Committees. In effect, these murals can function as landmarks that differentiate buildings and corridors from each other, making it easier for person living with dementia to orientate themselves while moving through this vicinity.

Sources on Kebun Baru: Dementia Singapore¹

Woodlands

As part of the Dementia Friendly Singapore initiative spearheaded by the Ministry of Health and supported by the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and community partners, a DFC initiative was launched in Woodlands Estate in November 2019.

A key feature of Woodland’s DFC initiative is the Dementia Friends Mobilisation Team. The team is involved in engaging and educating various segments of the community, including young persons, residents, merchants, students, and hawkers, on what dementia is, how to befriend and engage persons living with dementia, and what to do if they encounter a person living with dementia.

Another feature of the DFC initiative is the creation of 15 Go-To Points in Woodlands, which are locations where lost person living with dementia can be brought to. At Go-To Points, trained staff can provide advice, calm persons living with dementia, and aid in identifying and contacting these persons’ next-of-kin. In addition, the public can access information about dementia and these locations. Some of these points currently include shops, medical and social care centres, and a community centre.

Sources on Woodlands DFC: The Straits Times² and TODAYonline³

Yishun

Yishun, like Woodlands, is also a neighbourhood in Singapore designated as a DFC. The government, private merchants, community organisations, and health and social care partners are involved in making the Yishun community more inclusive for persons living with dementia.

Like other DFCs, Yishun has dementia Go-To Points. One such point at the Sree Narayana Mission Nursing Home is a 24/7 Go-To Point, ensuring that there is round-the-clock support for persons living with dementia in Yishun.⁴

Notably, the now nationwide Forget Us Not collaborative campaign involving Lien Foundation, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) and Dementia Singapore, which first started as a ground-up initiative in 2016 at KTPH, has conducted education and training sessions for personnel both islandwide and in the Yishun vicinity, where KTPH is located. Amongst other initiatives that the campaign has seen, staff at KTPH’s call centre and Yishun Community Hospital, including more frequently front-facing staff such as security personnel and those stationed at public-facing areas of the hospitals, have undergone dementia training.^5,6

The neighbourhood also features blocks repainted with distinctive colours and block numbers to help persons living with dementia differentiate between them, enhancing the ease with which they navigate the area. Murals of fishes, trees and pineapples reminiscent of Yishun’s history were also created to build a sense of the area’s identity amongst residents.

Yishun Integrated Transport Hub, which opened in 2019, is an example of how infrastructure can be designed with an eye on including persons living with dementia. It features a more elder- and dementia-inclusive physical environment, with larger and more easy-to-read directional signs, barrier-free bus boarding and alighting points, and a quiet room for commuters to access a quiet and calming environment.⁷

Another group on board with efforts to care for persons living with dementia is the Yishun North Neighbourhood Police Centre’s Citizens-on-Patrol team. Members of the citizen volunteer team are trained to detect, respond, and assist persons living with dementia while on patrol.⁸

Yio Chu Kang

Yio Chu Kang is the third DFC to include dementia-friendly murals on its HDB block walls. Along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, at least seven blocks have been painted with the murals, which feature familiar figures like that of the Merlion and sports stars like LeBron James.⁹

During town audits, AIC collaborated with the AMK Town Council and Grassroots leaders to make plans for upgrading infrastructure to make it more dementia-friendly, such as covering drains to make more footpaths. In the Lentor estate, more prominent estate markers, and intergenerational spaces such as pavilions and playgrounds, fitness areas and community gardens were incorporated into the community map along with directions to the nearest Go-To point from these markers. These help make spaces and buildings more identifiable and accessible to persons living with dementia.

In 2023, several dementia-friendly enhancements were implemented in select areas of Yio Chu Kang to better support those living with dementia. This initiative stemmed from a community-based research endeavor, The Dementia-Friendly Neighbourhood Study, conducted by AIC, the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC), and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). The study, which engaged over 100 residents of Yio Chu Kang and caregivers of persons living with dementia, sought to better understand their unique needs within the community.

Source: The Straits Times

One notable outcome of this initiative is the establishment of the Blue Court, a dedicated community space designed to foster a sense of belonging and a communal atmosphere.

Within the Blue Court, specialised activity corners were created to offer engaging cognitive exercises and games tailored to persons living with dementia, promoting mental stimulation and improving coordination.

Source: The Straits Times

To facilitate easy navigation for persons living with dementia, bright yellow circle markers resembling buoys were strategically placed throughout the neighborhood. These markers not only serve as visual cues but also provide clear directions to key locations such as the local market.

Source: The Straits Times

Utilising simple and universally recognisable symbols, such as utensil icons, these markers guide residents to essential amenities like the nearby hawker center, ensuring seamless navigation and accessibility within the community.

Toa Payoh East

In Toa Payoh East, wayfinding markers with block numbers such as blue sunflowers and red palm trees are painted on the pillars of some HDB blocks to help residents living with dementia find their way around the area. These block markers were designed in consultation with Dr Chan Kin Ming, a geriatrician at Gleneagles Medical Centre. Vivid and contrasting primary colours and larger patterns make it easier for residents living with dementia to tell them apart from the environment.¹⁰

In collaboration with various social service agencies, dementia screenings are held once every two months free of charge for seniors to detect dementia early. These initiatives were launched by the Toa Payoh East Citizen Consultative Committee on Feb 12 2022.

The MANGO Programme, which stands for “Meals, Assistance, Needs, Groceries and Opportunities” helps low-income residents with their daily needs. This programme has also been extended to aid those living with dementia. In addition to government subsidies, the programme provides financial assistance and necessities like diapers and wheelchairs.

Toa Payoh West-Thomson

Around 25 banners were put up around the Toa Payoh West-Thomson area to provide access to information and support for caregivers of persons living with dementia. There were also over 120 decals pasted on hawker centre tables around the area to inform residents of how they can support those living with dementia in the neighbourhood. Fortnightly workshops are also held for residents and volunteers to equip them with the skill to identify and assist persons living with dementia. HDB blocks are colour-coded and painted with vibrant colours to help persons living with dementia navigate around the neighbourhood.

Bedok

GoodLife! is a centre run by Montfort Care based in Bedok which actively engages the community to be proactive in understanding the needs of persons living with dementia. The Community Outreach Team (CREST) and befriending team based at GoodLife! Bedok find ways to help busy caregivers find respite amidst their packed schedules. They recruit and train volunteers to act as elder-sitters, caring for persons living with dementia and engaging them meaningfully whilst the caregivers are attending the support group sessions.¹¹

Caregivers can hence find the time for self-care, assured that their loved ones are in competent hands. One of the volunteers expressed how the training was valuable to her: “It is an eye-opener for me and through the lessons, I learnt more about how to better communicate with persons living with dementia and I look forward to the monthly engagement as it makes them happy.”

Marine Parade

Marine Parade was declared a dementia-friendly neighbourhood by Dr Tan See Leng (Minister for Manpower, Adviser to Marine Parade GRC) at during the Marine Parade Dementia Awareness Carnival held on 3 September 2023.

A key feature of Marine Parade is their wayfinding murals which can be found in Blocks 51 to 55 Marine Terrace Drive. During the designing process, Peranakan icons were selected for the wayfinding murals as seniors at Goodlife! Marine Parade were able to recognise these items quickly compared to other icons. Many stakeholders were involved in the discussions on placement and designs such as Dementia Singapore, Montfort Care, Marine Terrace Haven RC, Marine Parade Town Council and WeCare@MarineParade. The painting of the murals was a joint effort between stakeholders, community volunteers, students from CHIJ Katong Convent, and teachers from Tao Nan School.

The Caregiver Support Network was initiated by WeCare@MarineParade in 2019 and officially launched in January 2022. To date, it is more than 100 members strong and regularly holds caregiver workshops and support groups. In addition, it provides a hotline service for the area and a Caregiver Relief Fund that co-pays for medical necessities, home respite services and transport for caregivers requiring financial support.

To promote awareness on dementia and raise awareness on challenges faced by persons living with dementia, decals were pasted at various hawker centres and coffeeshops in Marine Parade between November 2022 and February 2023. In addition, there are also 12 Go-To Points located in the Marine Parade area.

Additional Resources

Building Dementia-Friendly Communities
Source: Agency for Integrated Care

This resources provides information, tips and resources on building a dementia-friendly community in Singapore.

Dementia Go-To Point Manual
Source: Agency for Integrated Care

This manual serves as a reference for employees of organisations in manning the dementia Go-To Points (GTP) to support persons living with dementia in the community. It dovetails the GTP set-up process, role and expectations as well as provides a list of resources in assisting wandering persons living with dementia.

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Dementia Singapore. (2020, April 20). Building an inclusive, dementia-friendly Kebun Baru. https://dementia.org.sg/2020/04/20/building-an-inclusive-dementia-friendly-kebun-baru/
Koh, F. (2019, November 24). Young people to play central role in making Woodlands dementia-friendly. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/young-people-to-play-central-role-in-making-woodlands-dementia-friendly
Tang, L. (2019, November 24). ‘Not an old-person problem’: Outreach team getting youth to help tackle dementia. TODAYonline. https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/not-old-person-problem-mobilisation-team-involving-youth-tackling-dementia
Hong, J. (2017, September 10). First 24-hour dementia go-to point launched in Yishun. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/first-24-hour-dementia-go-to-point-launched-in-yishun
Lien Foundation. (2016, January 20). Yishun, Singapore’s first dementia-friendly estate follows the trend of leading dementia-friendly communities around the world. [Press release]. http://www.lienfoundation.org/sites/default/files/Forget%20Us%20Not%20Press%20Release%20Final%20Combined_0.pdf
Lien Foundation. (n.d.). Forget Us Not. Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.lienfoundation.org/project/forget-us-not
Agency for Integrated Care. (2019, October 29). 5 Ways Yishun Integrated Transport Hub is Senior and Dementia Friendly. https://www.aic-blog.com/5-ways-yishun-integrated-transport-hub-senior-and-dementia-friendly
Yap, E. (2016, January 20). Let’s not forget dementia. Ageless Online. https://www.agelessonline.net/lets-not-forget-dementia/
Goh Y.H., (2021, June 14). Straits Times. Yio Chu Kang is 3rd town to feature dementia-friendly murals.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/yio-chu-kang-is-3rd-town-to-feature-dementia-friendly-murals
Wong S. (2022, February 12). Straits Times. More help for dementia patients and their caregivers in Toa Payoh East.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/more-help-for-dementia-patients-and-their-caregivers-in-toa-payoh-east
Channel News Asia. (2022, January 30.) Channel News Asia Video. Dementia-friendly towns help residents live independently.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/dementia-friendly-towns-help-residents-live-independently-safely-video-2469346

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Helping a Person with Dementia Who Lives Alone

Admin — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 15:57:58 +0000

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Persons living with dementia, especially in the earlier stages of dementia, may choose to live alone to maintain their independence for as long as possible, or to remain in a familiar neighbourhood. As the dementia progresses to moderate and advanced stages, it is likely that alternate living arrangements have to be made.

Here are some tips for you if you are a care professional working with persons with dementia who live alone.

Make self-care easier

They may forget to shower, change their clothes and have their meals. They may also forget to perform housekeeping duties, or to feed pets, amongst other tasks.
● Arrange for meal delivery services and housekeeping services..
● Write reminders and stick them on places they will look at (fridge, bedroom, living room, etc.). For example, you could write notes that read “Feed the pets”, “Remember to turn off the stove”, “Sweep the floor”, etc..
● Large and easy-to-read clocks and calendars will help the person to orient themselves to the time and date.
Improve safety in the home

They may lack judgment in dangerous situations such as those involving hazardous electrical appliances and slippery floors.
● Install non-slip mats and grab bars in the bathroom.
● Remove hazards from the house such as faulty kitchen appliances, clutter, fire hazards and broken furniture.
● Use technology in the form of monitoring systems to help track the person’s mobility in the house.
Involve others in the person’s care

A person living with dementia may exhibit behaviour that is hard to understand or accept. This may lead to unfriendliness or trouble with the neighbours, the police, and the community.
● Involve their family members in caregiving and encourage them to take turns to visit their loved one regularly. If regular visiting is not possible, encourage them to communicate regularly with their loved one via phone call or text.

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Learn about Dementia via E-Learning

Admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 09:26:00 +0000

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Want to learn more about dementia? The following article provides a list of e-learning programmes to expand your knowledge about the types and symptoms of dementia to better support your loved one’s needs.

Agency for Integrated Care (AIC)

As part of the e-learning initiative, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) has developed an e-learning programme to help persons living with dementia and their caregivers learn more about dementia.

Understanding Dementia

Through this online course, you will learn about the following topics:

What dementia is, its types, and risk factors
Signs and symptoms of dementia
Basic communication tips when interacting with persons living with dementia
Ways to reduce the risk of getting dementia
Dementia-friendly initiatives

You will receive an e-certificate upon completion of the course and an evaluation form.

Find out more or scan the QR code below to learn more about dementia now!

Dementia Singapore (DSG)

Dementia Singapore offers courses for the public, aimed at raising awareness and providing essential information about dementia.

Understanding the Psychological Needs of Persons Living with Dementia

Through this online course, you will learn about dementia and gain insights into its impact on individuals and caregivers, and how adopting a person-centred dementia care can enhance the wellbeing of persons living with dementia by meeting their psychological needs.

This course will enable learners to:

understand the impact of dementia on the person living with dementia
recognise and understand the principles of Person-Centred Care
identify the needs of persons living with dementia using the Person-Centred approach

You can conveniently access the course from any device, including mobile phones and tablets, allowing you to learn at your own pace, anytime and anywhere.

Reminiscence Arts for Dementia (Basic E-Learning)

This free e-learning module will enable learners to:

Recognise the principles of person centred care
Select appropriate communication strategies to create meaningful interactions with persons with dementia
Appreciate the value of reminiscence in bridging relationships with persons with dementia
Use artefacts to prompt meaningful conversations

Tsao Foundation

Tsao Foundation’s Learning Room e-learning course, “Journey with Dementia,” is now available on C3A’s new Learning Management System.

Journey with Dementia

Through this course, you will explore the complex and challenging journey of dementia. Delve into essential aspects of aging, dementia, and caregiving, gaining deeper insights. Additionally, participants will receive practical guidance on effectively managing the daily care of individuals living with dementia.

This course aims to:

provide a comprehensive understanding of dementia, including causes, types, and the impact it has on individuals and their families
help learners understand the impact of changed behaviour of persons living with dementia
equip learners with effective communication skills to connect with persons living with dementia, including techniques for clear and empathetic communications
empower learners with knowledge of practical self-care strategies and available resources to support the well-being of caregivers of persons living with dementia

An NSA subsidised fee is available for Singaporeans & PR aged 50 and above. Find out more about the Journey with Dementia course here.

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Join the Movement Archives - DementiaHub.SG

Decommissioning of Dementia Friends App

Dementia Friends App Transitions to CARA

Dementia Friends – Why You Are Important

How You Can Play a Part with CARA

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Community | Assurance | Rewards | Acceptance

Be Part of the CARA Community!

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Dementia-Inclusive Design Principles

In this Article

A Dementia-Inclusive Design Process

Common Features Across Various Dementia-Inclusive Design Principles

Homely & Familiar Environment

Safety

Supporting Cognitive & Functional Abilities

Appropriate Environmental/ Sensory Stimulation

Empowerment & Autonomy

Personal Space & Privacy

Activity Space & Meaningful Participation

Opportunities for Social Interactions

Accessibility

Resources on Dementia-Inclusive Design Principles

List of Resources on Physical Environments of Various Settings

Local Resources

Overseas Resources

List of Resources for the Homes of Persons Living with Dementia

Local Resources

Overseas Resources

List of Resources for Outdoor Environments Only

Local Resources

Overseas Resources

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What Is a Dementia-Inclusive Environment?

Why Is a Dementia-Inclusive Environment Important?

Defining the Physical & Social Environments for Persons Living With Dementia

Benefits of a Well-Designed & Supportive Physical Environment

Aspects of Physical Environments to Address for a Dementia-Inclusive Design

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Experience Dementia in Singapore (EDIS)

What is in a Day of a Person Living With Dementia?

In a HDB Home

At the Day-care Centre

Heading to the Supermarket

Related Resources

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Dementia-Friendly Neighbourhoods

Kebun Baru

Woodlands

Yishun

Yio Chu Kang

Source: The Straits Times

Appropriate
Environmental/ Sensory Stimulation

Building Dementia-Friendly Communities
Source: Agency for Integrated Care

Dementia Go-To Point Manual
Source: Agency for Integrated Care