The government should make people with dementia a priority in the COVID-19 vaccine program, the Taiwan Alzheimer’s Disease Association said yesterday, citing concerns over their vulnerability to viral infection and complications.
Association president Lai Te-jen (賴德仁) said that inoculating people with dementia would help reduce the stress their families face, while helping to protect Taiwan from the virus.
Association secretary-general Tang Li-yu (湯麗玉) said that dementia is a form of cognitive impairment and those affected by it have trouble adapting to changes in their environment, including societal changes amid the pandemic.
For example, community-based elderly daycare and specialized dementia care centers have temporarily closed due to COVID-19, Tang said.
However, many people with dementia persist in a daily routine of going to a community center for activities or classes, despite them being closed, which causes distress to their families, she said.
They also have trouble remembering to waer a mask or keep social distance, she said.
When people with dementia contravene COVID-19 rules, the authorities should try to give them guidance and assistance, not punish them with fines, Tang said.
People should take a disability certificate with them when they take a person with dementia out, so they can explain their situation if necessary, she said
The government’s policy to provide subsidies for people who take leave to care for family members during the pandemic is a step in the right direction, but eligibility should be broadened to include workers with family members who usually attend community-based dementia care centers, she said.
Companies should be given tax incentives to provide paid home-care leave, which would ease the financial burden and stress on households who care for people with dementia, she said.
People who need advice about caring for a loved one with dementia should call the association’s hotline, 0800-474-580, which is staffed by experts, she said.
Elderly people with dementia should not become a gap in Taiwan’s anti-pandemic efforts, and people should be patient and considerate when dealing with them and their carers, the association said.
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