Dick Lee to front dementia awareness drive.
Alzheimer's disease group picks him as ambassador.
DICK LEE'S father suffered a mild stroke last year that left him incontinent and depressed.
The 93-year-old withdrew from social interaction for several months and his family presumed his physical condition and behaviour was just part of the natural ageing process.
His singer-songwriter son was therefore taken aback when his father was later diagnosed with dementia: "Only then did we become more proactive, engaging him all the time mentally to prevent him from deteriorating even faster."
The 60-year-old Cultural Medallion recipient - who wrote the popular National Day song Home - will be the face of an Alzheimer's disease awareness campaign this year.
The Alzheimer's Disease Association (ADA) named him as its ambassador at an event to commemorate its 25th anniversary at Turf City yesterday.
He will star in a short film - Smell A Memory - to be released on social media platforms in conjunction with World Alzheimer's Day on Sept 21.
Alzheimer's disease is a common type of dementia, which results in a gradual loss of memory and thinking ability.
Mr Lee said: "Not a lot of people know how to spot the symptoms. Some who are diagnosed with it even hide it from their family."
Through the film and other awareness efforts, he hopes to educate the public about how to spot symptoms and care for those with the condition.
He jogs his father's memory by playing old songs on the piano so they can both sing along. He also makes him play games like Candy Crush on an iPad.
Manager Jesmin Lim, 52, whose mother has dementia, said: "The decline is irreversible, but as caregivers, we can slow it down by understanding how to engage and respond to them."
Her mother is enrolled in an ADA programme to keep her mind active.
The ADA aims to raise awareness of the struggles that those living with dementia face. "Early detection and medication can slow down the mental deterioration," said chief executive Jason Foo.
The association will organise support groups, focus groups and symposiums to discuss how families coping with dementia can enjoy a reasonable quality of life.
An estimated 30,000 people in Singapore live with dementia. The number is projected to rise to 53,000 by 2020.
The Straits Times / Singapore Published on Wednesday, 18 March 2015
BACKGROUND STORY
HARD TO SPOT
Not a lot of people know how to spot the symptoms. Some who are diagnosed with it even hide it from their family.
- Singer-songwriter Dick Lee, whose father was diagnosed with dementia
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