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A Lack of Awareness for Dementia Care Options a Cause for Concern as Singaporeans Age

Submitted on Sep 17, 2014 • By admin

More than 60 percent of respondents in a recent survey conducted by Active Global Specialised Caregivers, said that they do not know where to look for help if someone in their family or friends was diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

 

It is very significant that over 70 percent of the respondents indicated that their first sources for help will be hospitals / polyclinics and specialist doctors with another 20 percent indicating that they will turn to the Internet to look for helpful resources. With the respondents focusing on diagnosis-related help, the survey highlighted that there is a general lack of awareness for care and respite options as patients and family members have to live with the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s for 4 to 8 years on average.

 

“With a rapidly ageing society in Singapore, the number of people above the age of 65 who are diagnosed with dementia is expected to hit 53,000 by 2020 and that number is poised to hit 187,000 by 2050,” said Yorelle Kalika, the Founder of Active Global Specialised Caregivers. “With such statistics, raising the awareness for caregiving options available to dementia patients is paramount so that families are better prepared to decide on the appropriate level of care for their loved ones.”

 

The benefits of professional caregiving was highlighted in a recent study to show efficacy in slowing the progression of cognitive decline among dementia patients. By following a customised caregiving plan for each dementia patient, Active Global’s professional and specialised caregivers are capable of making a positive impact on the patient’s quality of life as well as provide respite for the family members from the stress of caregiving 24/7.

 

“It took a lot of effort to look after my mother when she was suffering from dementia and I was glad that I had someone like Shiji, a nurse from India, working as a professional caregiver with Active Global to help provide the right level of care to her during her illness,” said Mr Yong Yong Chee, a client of Active Global Specialised Caregivers. “Her previous nursing expertise and her professional work experience allowed her to quickly take over the care of my mother and ensure that she was properly medicated, fed, cleaned and emotionally engaged - in fact she even went as far as learning Mandarin and a few words in Hokkien to converse with my mother.”

 

“Our consultants are able to match specialised caregivers to our clients based on the severity of their medical conditions and we continue to work closely with them to develop a customised dementia caregiving plan that is adjusted to the patient’s specific needs,” said Ms Kalika. “Our stringent matching criteria and ethical hiring practices, allow us to provide highly motivated live-in caregivers who have successfully helped many families deal with the stress of caring for someone with dementia.”

 

Watch Mr Yong's testimonial here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doN89koAdfA