‘Online Dementia Basic Education’ via Zoom on the 25th... Participation Open to General Residents, Not Just Professional Volunteers... Expected to Improve Dementia Awareness
[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) will hold an "Online Basic Dementia Education Meeting via Zoom" for 100 residents for three hours starting at 9:30 a.m. on the 25th.
To mark the 3rd anniversary of the National Dementia Responsibility System and Dementia Overcoming Week, the continuing education, which was previously provided only to specialized dementia volunteer groups, will be expanded to include general residents.
The purpose is to support dementia awareness improvement so that everyone can accept that anyone can become a dementia patient in an aging society and be able to respond accordingly.
A district official explained that this is the first case in Seoul where basic dementia education is provided to residents who are not volunteers.
The education will be conducted online via the video conferencing platform Zoom to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The content includes guidance on the Dementia Safety Center, which provides integrated services such as early dementia screening, counseling, management, and care; "Understanding Long-term Care Insurance for the Elderly" by Song Ji-sook, team leader of the Gangdong branch of the National Health Insurance Service's Elderly Long-term Care Insurance Gangdong Operation Center; "Understanding Dementia" by Song Hong-gi, director of the Gangdong-gu Dementia Safety Center; and "Understanding Care for Dementia Patients" by Choi Jong-nyeo, director of the Korean Gerontological Nurses Association.
Before the education, the district recruited 100 residents and volunteers interested in dementia in advance and sent educational materials and Zoom installation guides by mail to each household.
Participants who complete the education will receive a certificate of completion, and if they submit a volunteer activity application form, volunteer hours will also be provided.
Lee Jeong-hoon, mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, "The number of dementia patients is rapidly increasing due to aging. Through this education, I hope residents will break away from vague prejudices about dementia, correctly understand dementia, and this will be an opportunity to become a dementia-friendly city where dementia patients and their families live together. We will also actively work to resolve the dementia care gap, which has deepened due to the impact of COVID-19."
Since May of this year, Gangdong-gu has been the first in Seoul to promote "Remote Precise Dementia Screening" to resolve the backlog of detailed examinations caused by the prolonged closure of the Dementia Safety Center and to respond to emergencies such as emergency screening for high-risk elderly individuals.
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