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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 18 March 2015

Dick Lee has been a caregiver for his father, who was diagnosed with dementia a year ago.

SINGAPORE: Singer-songwriter Dick Lee was on Tuesday (Mar 17) named ambassador for Singapore’s Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA) for a year, as the association celebrates its 25th anniversary.

"It has been difficult seeing my father struggle with symptoms of dementia," said Mr Lee. The most trying moment he faced was when his father "shut down overnight" after a mild stroke that left the senior Mr Lee incontinent and, subsequently, depressed. This condition lasted a few months.

"We didn't know that he had dementia," said Mr Lee. "He probably had it for some time and we didn't realise, we were not aware. I think this is the problem for dementia and Alzheimer's. Awareness is just not enough, but knowing it has changed my whole outlook and also put into place things we have to do to keep engaging him."

Currently, ADA estimates that 30,000 people in Singapore suffer from dementia. This number is projected to rise to 53,000 by 2020, and expected to triple to 187,000 by 2050.

The association says more needs to be done to raise awareness of the disease and prepare Singapore to become a 'dementia-friendly' society. 

Said the CEO of ADA Jason Foo: "This is so that they are not kept at home and locked away. They should be out in the community, to be part of society, and for society to accept them and not have a stigma that there is a problem with them.'

ADA says bringing patients out for activities will help stimulate their minds. It is not possible to reverse the effects of dementia, but it is possible to slow the rate of deterioration. 

17 Mar 2015

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