Contributors
Artist Danny Tan, 51, noticed his 84-year-old mother constantly fiddling with her hands. People with dementia tend to get restless and fidget due to anxiety or boredom. He then decided to make his very own DIY fidget blanket using everyday items for less than S$10 as a stimulating tool for his mother.
For another caregiver looking out for a loved one with dementia, 62-year-old Irene Law needed physical help in caring for her father as she, her mother and the domestic helper could not do so. Since 2014, she has engaged a male care assistant who has been taking her father for walks thrice a week and bathing him twice a week.
All these various strategies and techniques from these caregivers and their personal stories have been included in a collection of “Connecting” videos that have been launched today online by Lien Foundation and Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA) to kick off World Alzheimer’s Month. Each of the 23 family and professional caregivers share their struggles and successes in videos of less than three minutes. The first instalment of 30 videos are online at www.forgetusnot.sg/video.html, while the rest can be viewed end of September.
Shared Lee Poh Wah, CEO of Lien Foundation, “Caring for someone with dementia is a tough job and thankless. Someone said it is like riding a scary emotional rollercoaster alone. It can be a big challenge.”
He added these videos with all the caregiving tips “aim to draw the caregivers together as a community, empower them with a voice and shine a light onto their path”. “We hope they will draw strength and solace in their solidarity as they tackle the burden, loneliness and stigma of dementia.” He added that they are hoping to expand the collection on the videos in the future.
Looking at the landscape, today, one in 10 persons 60 years and above in Singapore have dementia, according to a national study by the Institute of Mental Health. Based on 2017 demographic data, this works out to an estimated 78,000 people. These numbers are set to grow as Singapore joins the ranks of super-aged countries in 2030, where more than one in five people will be aged 65 years or older.
Graphic novel
Along with the videos, there is also a graphic novel called “All That Remains” by author James Tan and illustrator James Teo, who have loved ones with dementia. In the medium of comics, the 72-page novel has two stories – one showcasing the relationship of Tan’s father-in-law holding the role as husband and caregiver to his mother-in-law, and another on a friend’s daily battles as a caregiver to her mother while juggling her career.
The final story in the novel is where Tan imagines himself as someone with dementia who needs to ‘find the dignity in living’. The book is available online for download at www.forgetusnot.sg/downloads.html and will also be available at the library, day care centres and hospitals. The book will also be given to participants attending talks during the World Alzheimer’s Month Conference on the September 22. To learn more about the conference, go to www.alz.org.sg/wam2018.
For those caregivers who want to share their stories and caregiving advice, contact info@forgetusnot.sg.
