Gwangju Seo-gu to Conduct 'Early Dementia Screening Project' Until the 16th of Next Month

Published 18 Jun.2024 13:30(KST)

From the 18th, Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City will conduct an outreach early dementia screening project at the Sangmu 2-dong Administrative Welfare Center, a dementia-safe village.

According to Seo-gu on the day, the screening will be held every Tuesday from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM until the 16th of next month. Local residents aged 60 or older who wish to be tested can receive the screening for free by bringing their ID.

Seogu District conducted an outreach early dementia screening program at Sangmu 2-dong Administrative Welfare Center on the 18th. <br>[Photo by Seogu District]

Seogu District conducted an outreach early dementia screening program at Sangmu 2-dong Administrative Welfare Center on the 18th.
[Photo by Seogu District]

The dementia test is conducted through a question-and-answer type memory cognition screening. If dementia is suspected, it proceeds to a second-stage diagnostic test (for those with cognitive decline) and a third-stage differential diagnosis (for those requiring differentiation of the cause of dementia).

Additionally, the screening and diagnostic tests are provided free of charge at the Dementia Safety Center, and the differential diagnosis is conducted at contracted hospitals in the district through blood tests, CT scans, and other examinations. Costs are supported up to 110,000 KRW (at tertiary general hospitals) regardless of income.

Lee Won-gu, director of Seo-gu Public Health Center, said, “Dementia occurs due to various causes, and if detected early and treated appropriately, the progression to severe stages can be suppressed or symptoms improved.” He added, “We especially recommend that those aged 75 and older, who are the focus of intensive screening, undergo testing for dementia prevention management.”

Meanwhile, until next month, Seo-gu will conduct home visits and phone consultations targeting 592 registered dementia patients in the dementia-safe villages of Pungam-dong and Sangmu 2-dong, including ▲checking the health status and needs of dementia patients ▲guidance on support projects for families of dementia patients ▲discovering dementia patients in welfare blind spots and linking them to dementia support services ▲and providing information on the dementia counseling call center available 365 days a year.