New centers treat cognitive disorders for aging residents
XINZHUANG Town of Minhang District, one of Shanghai’s first batch of pilot communities to provide services for residents with cognitive impairments, has set up three day-care centers for seniors with cognitive disorders, providing them with catering, life care, recovery, entertainment and mental consulting services.
The three day-care centers are the Kangcheng Community Cognitive Impairment Patient Day-care Center, Qinxin Cognitive Disorder Patient Day-care Center and the Lumei Day-care Center.
Graying population
As Shanghai gradually enters an aging society, more elders and their families are facing cognitive issues.
A 65-year-old Xinzhuang resident surnamed Su used to be a chief financial officer of a listed company before her retirement, while successfully managing her domestic affairs.
However, in recent years, she felt that “she was aging quickly with her memory in decline.” She can still manage her own life, but would frequently add too much salt into dishes, leave her floor half swept, write the wrong Chinese characters, or even forget her home address.
She was later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Though sticking to medical treatment, Su was upset about her condition and felt reluctant to communicate. She would blink her eyes and laugh loudly to hide her embarrassment when she failed to answer simple questions.
Su visited the Kangcheng Community Cognitive Impairment Patient Day-care Center in July 2021 and received a tailor-made recovery plan that included attention and coordination training, language training and easy household chores.
Improvement delight
Su is now able to recite her home address, remember her friends’ names and repeat a series of numbers in reverse. The seemingly trivial improvements delight her family.
The three day-care centers in Xinzhuang have been actively carrying out community intervention by screening over 2,000 elderly citizens. After gaining data on the cognitive conditions, they then monitor those with potential risks and mild cognitive impairments, and offer non-medical intervention training and early-stage care services.
The centers also launch popularization programs on cognitive disorder prevention annually.