Suncheon-si Dementia Safety Center Plays a Key Role as a Safety Net for Families of Dementia Patients

Creating a Dementia-Friendly Environment through Dementia Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Awareness Improvement

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Suncheon City (Mayor Heo Seok) has been proactively promoting dementia management projects since 2013 in response to the rapid increase in the elderly population due to aging. In line with the government's National Dementia Responsibility System, the city established and has been operating a Dementia Safety Center since September 2019.

On the 10th, Suncheon City announced that the Dementia Safety Center is effectively serving as a safety net for dementia patients and their families through customized programs for the target groups.

The city's Dementia Safety Center is carrying out various projects ranging from dementia prevention, diagnosis, treatment, cognitive enhancement, family support, to operating dementia-friendly villages.

For high-risk dementia groups aged 75 and older, the center provides guidance on dementia screening tests, offers examination services by visiting towns and townships, and connects those diagnosed with cognitive decline to partner hospitals for diagnostic and differential tests free of charge.

Additionally, the city operates dementia-friendly villages to combat negative perceptions of dementia and foster dementia-friendly environments.

In the dementia-friendly villages, various programs such as dementia prevention education and rural healing programs for elderly people exhausted by COVID-19 blues are also conducted.

Furthermore, various cognitive rehabilitation and stimulation programs, care analysis for families of dementia patients, and self-help groups among dementia patient families are implemented.

The city plans to support dementia treatment management fees for all citizens starting next year.

For dementia patients who exceed 120% of the median income and thus are excluded from the national support for dementia treatment management fees, the city will provide up to 30,000 KRW per month in out-of-pocket expenses from its own budget.

Through this, the city aims to reduce the economic burden on dementia patients and their families, improve their quality of life, and strive to create a dementia-friendly environment.

A health center official stated, “Early detection and rapid treatment of dementia can slow its progression, reducing the pain and burden on patients and caregivers, so early dementia screening is very important,” and added, “We will actively support early diagnosis of dementia and alleviate the caregiving burden on families so that dementia families can live better lives.”

For more detailed information about dementia, please contact the Suncheon City Dementia Safety Center or the Dementia Counseling Call Center.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.