Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, Attention-Grabbing Dementia Patient Awareness Improvement Education for Someone's Neighbor

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City supports healthy aging through the ‘Creating a Happy Gwangsan Without Dementia Worries’ project, which provides various services such as early dementia screening and dementia partner education to elderly participants in senior job programs.

The Gwangsan-gu Dementia Safety Center in Gwangju announced on the 20th that it recently conducted early dementia screening and dementia partner training for 1,412 participants in the senior job program.

This training was carried out from the 24th of last month to the 16th of this month at the Gwangsan Culture and Arts Center, in collaboration with senior job implementing organizations such as the Korean Senior Citizens Association Gwangsan Branch, Hanmaeum Geumgo Welfare Center, and Donggeurami Senior Welfare Center.

The purpose was to prevent dementia and improve awareness of dementia in the local community.

A dementia partner is a ‘dementia companion’ who understands and supports dementia patients.

Elders who complete the training will play a promotional role in spreading correct awareness of dementia to local residents and peers in their neighborhood, helping to improve the negative perception of dementia.

A representative of the Gwangsan-gu Dementia Safety Center said, “In an increasingly aging society, dementia is a challenge that the community must overcome together,” adding, “We will make greater efforts to create a dementia-friendly environment where dementia patients can live together with others.”