Incheon Yeonsu-gu Selected as Welfare Ministry Best Practice... Dementia Safe Villages Established in Dongchun 2 and 3-dong

Dementia Volunteer Group Launch Ceremony
Photo by Yeonsu-gu, Incheon

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon Yeonsu-gu announced on the 3rd that it has been selected in the annual 'Dementia Safe Village Creation Best Practice' contest promoted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to improve dementia awareness, reduce caregiving burdens, and establish dementia-friendly infrastructure.

Accordingly, the district plans to create dementia safe villages in two old downtown areas using 80 million KRW in national funds and other resources.

A dementia safe village is a community where local members correctly understand dementia and possess the knowledge and attitudes necessary to support dementia patients and their families, creating a dementia-friendly environment. Currently, Yeonsu-gu has established four such villages in Seonhak-dong, Cheonghak-dong, and Yeonsu 2·3-dong.

Yeonsu-gu plans to newly establish the Memory Fence Dementia Safe Villages in Dongchun 2-dong and Dongchun 3-dong to prevent the isolation of dementia patients and their families and to enable them to safely carry out daily life within the community.

The dementia safe villages will be equipped with various dementia-friendly infrastructures such as dementia prevention classes and cognitive rehabilitation programs for seniors aged 60 and above and dementia patients, Memory Plus photo studios, dementia safe village logo projectors, collaborative memory video production, Memory Plus park creation, and dementia app development.

To this end, on the 29th of last month, the district formed an operating committee consisting of administrative welfare center staff who understand local characteristics well, members of the residents' autonomy committee, neighborhood leaders, and officials in the dementia management field, and held the first meeting.

The operating committee members will make related decisions on planning, operation, and evaluation necessary for creating dementia safe villages, provide advice for the safe village creation, and perform roles as dementia partners in dementia awareness improvement activities and practices.

Meanwhile, on the 27th of last month, the district recruited the 3rd group of dementia specialist volunteers and held an inauguration ceremony.

Dementia specialist volunteers, after undergoing Dementia Partner Plus education, will carry out volunteer activities in various areas to support the daily life convenience of dementia patients and their families based on understanding and consideration of dementia.

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