First 24-hour dementia go-to 
point opens in Yishun, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper
Singapore

First 24-hour dementia go-to 
point opens in Yishun

This article is more than 12 months old

People with dementia who are found to be lost can be taken to the Sree Narayana Mission Nursing Home in Yishun, the first location in a nursing facility that can receive such people in distress round the clock.

There are 58 places serving as go-to points where people who cannot remember where they live can be taken to by members of the public. The Singapore Silver Pages website has a map showing all of them.

These also serve as community resource centres to get information about dementia, attend classes and be linked with relevant services.

The Sree Narayana Mission, for instance, offers classes for caregivers and domestic workers on how to take care of people with dementia.

The dementia go-to points were first set up last March, and The Straits Times understands that a small number of people have been helped at these points.

The launch dovetails with efforts in Yishun to make the Housing Board estate a more dementia-friendly community, with the Forget Us Not initiative by Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Lien Foundation.

Since January last year, this initiative has trained about 17,000 people and worked with about 70 organisations to raise awareness of how to deal with those with dementia.

About one in 10 Singaporeans aged 60 and above has dementia, a figure expected to rise as the country ages.

Sree Narayana Mission president Shanavas Vijayan said: "We hold events and know we have the facilities and the capabilities to take care of people with dementia. We are really happy with today's launch, to help support the community."

[We hold events and know we have the facilities and the capabilities to take care of people with dementia. Sree Narayana Mission president Shanavas Vijayan

The mission, set up in 1948, is a charitable institution that operates a range of community welfare programmes.

The guest of honour at the launch, Senior Minister of State for Health and Communications and Information Chee Hong Tat, said he looked forward to the setting up of more such go-to points around Singapore, in addition to expanding the number of dementia-friendly communities.

YishunhealthMental Health