Getai concert raises awareness of dementia in the heartlands
Familiar Chinese tunes filled the air at a getai concert in Marine Parade, which drew over 250 elderly residents and their families.
The concert on Saturday was held by Dementia Singapore to raise awareness for its CARA mobile app, which was recently updated to include selected features in Mandarin. One can now also sign up for free membership to the app, which links users with benefits, solutions and resources related to their dementia care journey, in Mandarin.
“By making more features in the app available in Mandarin, we hope to reach out to members of the dementia community who may be more comfortable interacting in that language,” said Mr Bernard Lim, director of communications and advocacy at Dementia Singapore.
Marine Parade, which was designated a dementia-friendly community last month, was an ideal choice for the organisation to launch its first Our Getai outreach event aimed at engaging residents in more matured housing estates.
After all, aside from informing and helping Singapore’s ageing population who may not be up to date with the latest available support systems, the initiative is also designed to rekindle the kampung spirit that many heritage neighbourhoods are known for.
Said Mr Lim: “There’s something charming and timeless about coming together as a community to enjoy a variety show in the comfort of one’s backyard.”
The two-hour getai show, held at a communal hall in Marine Drive, featured musical performances, skits and games. The hosts also shared helpful information about dementia care with the audience. It was live-streamed, with more than 3,700 viewers watching online.
At the show were Dementia Singapore’s chief executive officer Jason Foo and guest of honour Dr Chua Ee Chek, who is chairperson of WeCare @ MarineParade, which helps vulnerable residents in Marine Parade through community action and partnerships.
Dr Chua said: “We are a new dementia-friendly community, and such programmes are a wonderful way to engage our residents and get our message across as we build a caring living environment for persons with dementia and their caregivers.”
Dementia Singapore plans to bring its getai outreach programme to other matured housing estates in the coming months.
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