Press Releases

Various measures to address the needs of elders with dementia

The Government has been taking various measures to address the needs of elders with dementia, and to help them make choices and adjustments that maximise their quality of life, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong told the Fifth Asian Pacific Regional Meeting of Alzheimer's Disease International today (September 5).

"The Government provides primary health care services to elders, including early detection of cognitive impairment through health screening, and outreaching visits to residential care homes, providing assessment and treatment to elders with dementia," Dr Yeoh said.

"Our primary goal is to assist elders with dementia to stay in the community for as long as possible. Elders affected and their carers can receive tailor-made help at home and in the community, through our enhanced home and community care services.

"For individuals with dementia who need residential care, we will upgrade and expand existing services to provide specialised and tailor made programmes for frail elders and those with dementia.

"For new contracted residential care homes, we will be seeking the provision of innovative facilities and services that recognise the special needs of elders with dementia," Dr Yeoh said.

Training has been provided to enhance the capability of professional and care staff in elderly service units serving elders with dementia.

"These include carers' support centres, support groups, counseling, training as well as day and residential respite," he said.

"It is important for people with the illnesses and their families to receive information, care and support as early as possible so that they could make choices and adjustments that maximise their quality of life."

On policy for care for elders, Dr Yeoh said community and residential care underpinned our long term care delivery for elders.

"We plan to put in place a central registration system for subsidised long term care services, to provide a single entry point for elders with care needs.

"To better address the needs of both healthy and frail elders, we will rationalise and re-engineer a wide spectrum of existing community care and support services," he added.

Thursday, September 5, 2002