Debated in Parliament on 19 Nov 2018.
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Health (a) to date, how many people have signed up as Dementia Friends through the Dementia Friends mobile app; and (b) whether the app should be used by concerned members of the wider public who are not specifically trained to help persons with dementia and their families.
The Dementia Friends mobile app was developed as part of the Dementia-Friendly Singapore initiative and was officially launched on 25 October 2018. As at end October 2018, over 2,000 people have signed up as Dementia Friends through the Dementia Friends mobile app.
The mobile app was designed for both caregivers of persons with dementia, as well as the wider general public. It allows users to access information about dementia and the available support services, receive updates on upcoming events on caregiving and, most importantly, enlist the help of the community to locate loved ones who might be lost.
When persons with dementia are lost, caregivers can use the mobile app to activate the network of Dementia Friends. These Dementia Friends, who are members of the public, would then receive a notification from the mobile app to help keep a lookout for the lost persons. Go-to Points are listed in the mobile app, so that the persons who are lost can be brought to the nearest Go-to Point by nearby Dementia Friends to be reunited with their caregivers.
We hope that the Dementia Friends mobile app can serve to mobilise community resources to support and respond to caregivers' needs. Members of the public are encouraged to download this mobile app and sign up as a Dementia Friend, and to also share this useful resource with relatives and friends, whether or not they are specifically trained.
PAPERCUTS