Foundation to improve dementia care service

Better days lie ahead of the city's 200,000 dementia patients thanks to a newly established foundation dedicated to improving training for carers and raising the overall quality of life for sufferers.

The foundation opened yesterday in anticipation of today's third national Charity Day with lectures organized in all 16 districts of the city.

About seven percent of citizens over the age of 60 suffer from some form of dementia, and the rate increases among more senior citizens. Attending to their special needs is a major task of old-age services. 

The new foundation will train specialist carers for dementia patients, help patients’ families cope and work to raise awareness of the condition among the general public.

Specialized clinics have been set up in health care facilities including Huadong Hospital and Shanghai Mental Health Center, with more than 1,000 new beds promised this year.

Shanghai No. 3 Elderly Home open the first senile dementia care center last year, which was followed by a number of elderly homes around the city. Some social organizations and neighborhoods have also established supporting centers for patients and their families.