Damyang-gun Operates Dementia Shelter Program 'Brain Love Beside Me'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Chunsu] Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 16th that it will operate a dementia patient shelter visit program called ‘Brain Love Beside Me’ to help dementia elderly recover their daily lives.

The dementia shelter program is aimed at strengthening cognitive abilities and preventing the worsening of dementia for mild dementia patients registered at the Dementia Safety Center who have not applied for long-term care services or are on the waiting list, as well as those with cognitive support grades, and to reduce the caregiving burden on families of dementia patients.

For dementia patients who had difficulty going outside due to COVID-19, dedicated staff visit their homes four times a week to conduct dementia prevention exercises, workbook training, occupational therapy, and art activities. In the future, considering the COVID-19 situation, the program plans to operate within the Dementia Safety Center.

Last year, the visit-type dementia shelter was operated for 211 people, and the short-form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K) was conducted before and after the operation, showing an average decrease of 25% in the first and second halves of the year, with high satisfaction reported.

A county official said, “With the lifting of social distancing, it is an important time for cognitive enhancement programs to help dementia elderly recover their daily lives,” adding, “We will do our best to prevent the worsening of dementia symptoms and fill the care gap through active shelter operation.”

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