Full Dementia Screening for Residents Entering Age 75 (Born in 1950) in Rental Apartments
Mobile Dementia Safe Centers Operated for Vulnerable Groups
Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will accelerate the creation of ‘Dementia Safe Villages’ to strengthen community-based dementia services and improve awareness of dementia.
According to the ‘2023 Dementia Epidemiological Survey and Status Survey Results’ announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 13th, the number of dementia patients is expected to reach about 970,000 by 2025, and is projected to surpass 1 million in 2026. In particular, the prevalence of dementia is rapidly increasing among those aged 75 and older, highlighting the growing importance of dementia prevention and early detection.
Accordingly, Nowon-gu is actively promoting the ‘Dementia Safe Village’ project to create an environment where local residents can detect and prevent dementia early.
A Dementia Safe Village refers to a village equipped with sufficient health and welfare services and a safe living environment for dementia patients and their families. Currently, three areas with a high elderly population and registered dementia patients?Junggye 2 and 3-dong, Gongneung 2-dong, and Sanggye 1-dong?have been designated as Dementia Safe Villages.
Based on this, the district is discovering and operating systematic community-based dementia services through various methods such as ▲focused screening for residents aged 75 and older for dementia prevention and early detection ▲operation of mobile Dementia Safe Centers ▲volunteer recruitment to improve residents’ awareness ▲and recruitment of Ttasum franchise stores.
First, from 2023 to 2027, the district plans to use the results of a full survey and follow-up management of residents entering age 75 to observe changes from age 75 to 80, which will serve as basic data for the ‘Nowon-gu Dementia Prevalence Status Survey.’
In fact, in 2024, the district conducted focused screening on 276 residents aged 75 and older, mainly in LH rental apartments, in cooperation with the Housing Management Corporation Nowon Area Residential Happiness Support Center. Participants showed high satisfaction, with 71% completing dementia screening and prevention education.
This year, a mobile Dementia Safe Center will be operated. In the first half of the year, it will target Junggye 1 and 9 complexes, and in the second half, Junggye 3 complex and Wolgye 1 complex. Among them, those identified through the full survey as having cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment will receive customized case management including neurocognitive tests, medical treatment, and linkage to cognitive programs.
Additionally, the district continues efforts to improve local residents’ awareness of dementia through ▲recruitment of volunteers for the Nowon-gu Dementia Safe Center and ▲recruitment of Ttasum franchise stores. ‘Ttasum franchise stores’ are local stores that can offer discount benefits to residents, mainly cafes and hair salons.
The district is also working hard to develop customized programs to support early-onset dementia patients, whose numbers are increasing as rapidly as elderly dementia patients. Through ‘Kongkong Pam Pam (where beans are planted and beans grow, and farms are planted and sold),’ implemented since February, programs such as ▲planting crops ▲cooking activities using harvested crops ▲photo outings to improve orientation and physical condition ▲and writing photo diaries will be provided to dementia patients under 65 to prevent the progression of dementia and support social interaction.
Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “As the number of dementia patients increases every year due to population aging, community interest and support are essential to prevent their social isolation. We will strengthen community dementia care services to enable early detection and proper management of dementia.”
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