Government agencies and social groups launched nationwide events yesterday to raise awareness and understanding of dementia in observance of World Alzheimer’s Day.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital in Hualien County held an activity in which Lin Chiao-hsiang (林喬祥), director of the hospital’s Department of Psychiatry, along with other psychiatrists, shared their knowledge and experience of caring for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients.
More than 24 million people around the world live with dementia, with a new case diagnosed every seven seconds. The number of dementia patients is expected to reach more than 80 million by 2040, Lin said, citing reports.
“In Taiwan, over 150,000 people are affected by dementia and the number of patients is expected to double within the next 20 years,” Lin said.
Lee Hau-ming (李浩銘), a psychiatrist, warned that if people find family members developing memory loss, loss of cognitive functions and an inability to carry out daily functions, they should seek medical treatment, as the symptoms could indicate the early stages of dementia.
The Dementia Care Association held various events throughout Taiwan.
In Taichung, a fair to raise awareness combined a food fete and more than 80 stalls at the Fenglo Sculpture Park.
Taichung Deputy Mayor Hsiao Chia-chi (蕭家旗) said at the event that the rising number of dementia patients in Taiwan was a huge challenge that the government must tackle.
“At present there is no cure for dementia, but there are many preventative measures people can take to stop or slow the onset of the disease,” Hsia said, describing exercise as the best way to prevent dementia and encouraging the public to exercise regularly.
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