# Dementia Singapore partners Municipal Services Office to expand support for dementia community - **Source:** Ministry of National Development - **Published:** 2023-02-13T02:00:00.000Z - **Author:** Ministry of National Development - **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/dementia-singapore-partners-municipal-services-office-to-expand-support-for-dementia-community - **Topics:** Commercial & Industrial, New Launches ## Featured rationale The expanded neighbourhood alert network may strengthen community support for ageing residents, potentially improving the inclusiveness and perceived senior-friendliness of residential areas. ## AI summary From 6 February 2023, OneService began distributing CARA missing-person alerts to more than 500,000 users, after CARA helped return seven people safely since November 2022. ## Original article Dementia Singapore partners Municipal Services Office to expand support for dementia community Collaboration between Dementia Singapore’s CARA SG app and MSO’s OneService app allows caregivers to directly broadcast missing person reports to a wider network should their loved ones with dementia go missing SINGAPORE, 13 February 2023 – Support for families will now be further strengthened with an additional notification platform when their loved ones with dementia go missing. This support, which comes from a strategic partnership between Dementia Singapore and the Municipal Services Office (MSO), was launched today. The partnership will see the two organisations’ mobile applications – Dementia Singapore’s CARA and MSO’s OneService – collaborating to help widen the network to support our dementia community in Singapore. From 6 February onwards, the OneService app will broadcast reports of missing persons with dementia from Dementia Singapore’s CARA SG app to a wider community network, and increase the chances of a quicker reunion with their families. The partnership will see the OneService app complement the ‘Safe Return’ and ‘Report Missing Person’ features of the CARA SG app. This also serves to widen the dementia-friendly community in Singapore, where one in 10 seniors who are aged 60 and above have dementia. CARA’s partnership with OneService was launched this morning at Dementia Singapore’s New Horizon Centre (Bukit Batok) by Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development. Senior Minister of State Sim Ann said: “Families experience much anxiety when their loved ones with dementia go missing. The Municipal Services Office is pleased to partner Dementia Singapore by broadcasting its missing persons alerts on the OneService app. By reaching a wider audience and encouraging residents to keep a lookout for one another, I am confident that we can foster a more dementia-friendly Singapore together.” The missing persons alerts complement the ‘Help Neighbour’ feature of the OneService app. ‘Help Neighbour’ provides a one-stop platform which residents can use to alert social service agencies to persons who may be in need. Dementia Singapore CEO Jason Foo said: “Dementia Singapore’s vision has always been to create a more dementia-friendly and inclusive society. Through CARA, we are seeing our friends living with dementia and their caregivers becoming more empowered, involved, and supported in their journeys living with or caring for someone with dementia.” “We are very grateful for this milestone partnership with MSO, and we hope to continue partnering with more agencies and corporations to further enhance CARA’s features.” WORKING AS ONE FOR THE DEMENTIA COMMUNITY In the event their loved one with dementia goes missing, caregivers can now make a report via the CARA app using the newly launched ‘Report Missing Person’ feature. When a Missing Person Report is made, all CARA members will receive a push notification, and they will be able to view the Report and keep a lookout for the missing person. For each Missing Person Report submitted via the CARA app, the same information will be broadcasted via a push notification to OneService users who reside within the town of the lost person’s last seen location. The notification contains photos and details of the missing person, such as their physical traits and last seen location. Users are also notified when the missing person is found eventually. Example of Missing Person Notification via the OneService app Notification on the OneService app When Missing Person is Found Since the feature’s soft launch in November 2022, CARA has helped to facilitate the safe return of seven missing persons with dementia. As of January 2023, CARA has over 4,000 app users, including persons living with dementia, caregivers, and members of the public. The OneService app has started broadcasting CARA’s Missing Person notifications since 6 February 2023. This partnership will extend the reach of CARA’s notifications to more than 500,000 OneService app users. COMMITMENT TO CARE INNOVATION Mr Foo said the new ‘Report Missing Person’ feature exemplifies the organisation’s commitment in delivering the most innovative care solutions, specifically to meet the increasing needs and challenges of the dementia community. He added: “In the past couple of years, there has been a rising phenomenon of missing elderly persons in Singapore, many of whom have dementia. The ‘Report Missing Person’ feature, together with this strategic partnership with MSO’s OneService app, will effectively help to address this growing concern for families by significantly expanding the reach of the Missing Person notifications. “With a larger population reach, the probability is higher that a missing person with dementia will be found quicker.” The launch at New Horizon Centre (Bukit Batok) also saw volunteers from Dunearn Youth and Blossom World Society, engage persons living with dementia with a reminiscence music therapy session as well as traditional games. ## Chinese translation > Translation model: grok_cli ### 新加坡失智症协会与市政服务署合作，扩大对失智症社群的支援 新加坡失智症协会与市政服务署合作，扩大对失智症社群的支援 新加坡失智症协会的CARA SG应用程序与市政服务署的OneService应用程序合作，让看护者在失智症亲人走失时，可直接将寻人报告广播至更广泛的网络 新加坡，2023年2月13日——当失智症亲人走失时，家庭现在将获得额外通知平台的进一步支援。这项支援来自新加坡失智症协会与市政服务署（MSO）的策略性伙伴关系，并于今天启动。该项合作将使两家机构的流动应用程序——新加坡失智症协会的CARA与市政服务署的OneService——携手合作，扩大网络，支援新加坡的失智症社群。 自2月6日起，OneService应用程序将把来自新加坡失智症协会CARA SG应用程序的失智症患者寻人报告，广播至更广泛的社区网络，提高与家人更快团聚的机会。 这项合作将使OneService应用程序补充CARA SG应用程序的“安全回家”（Safe Return）与“报告寻人”（Report Missing Person）功能。这也有助于扩大新加坡的失智症友善社区——在60岁及以上的乐龄人士中，每10人中就有1人患有失智症。 CARA与OneService的合作，今早由外交部兼国家发展部高级政务部长沈颖女士，在新加坡失智症协会新视野中心（武吉巴督）启动。 高级政务部长沈颖表示：“当失智症亲人走失时，家人会极度焦虑。市政服务署很高兴与新加坡失智症协会合作，在OneService应用程序上广播其寻人警报。通过触达更广泛的受众，并鼓励居民互相留意，我有信心我们能共同建设一个更失智症友善的新加坡。” 寻人警报补充了OneService应用程序的“帮助邻里”（Help Neighbour）功能。“帮助邻里”提供一站式平台，让居民可用于向社会服务机构通报可能需要协助的人士。 新加坡失智症协会首席执行官符传晓（Jason Foo）表示：“新加坡失智症协会的愿景始终是创建一个更失智症友善、更具包容性的社会。通过CARA，我们看到与失智症共处的朋友及其看护者，在与失智症共处或照护失智症患者的过程中，变得更有能力、更投入，也获得更多支援。” “我们非常感谢与市政服务署达成这一里程碑式的合作，并希望继续与更多机构和企业合作，进一步增强CARA的功能。” 同心协力服务失智症社群 若失智症亲人走失，看护者现在可通过CARA应用程序，使用新推出的“报告寻人”功能作出报告。 提交寻人报告后，所有CARA会员将收到推送通知，并可查看该报告、留意该走失人士。 每份通过CARA应用程序提交的寻人报告，同样信息将通过推送通知广播给居住在走失人士最后被看见地点所属市镇内的OneService用户。通知包含走失人士的照片与详情，例如外貌特征及最后被看见的地点。当走失人士最终被寻获时，用户也会收到通知。 OneService应用程序寻人通知示例 走失人士被寻获时OneService应用程序上的通知 自该功能于2022年11月软启动以来，CARA已协助促成七名失智症走失人士安全回家。截至2023年1月，CARA拥有超过4000名应用程序用户，包括失智症患者、看护者及公众。 OneService应用程序自2023年2月6日起开始广播CARA的寻人通知。这项合作将把CARA通知的触达范围扩展至超过50万名OneService应用程序用户。 对护理创新的承诺 符先生表示，新的“报告寻人”功能体现了该机构致力于提供最具创新性的护理解决方案，以特别应对失智症社群日益增加的需求与挑战。他补充说：“过去几年，新加坡走失乐龄人士的现象日益增多，其中许多人患有失智症。‘报告寻人’功能，连同与市政服务署OneService应用程序的这项策略性合作，将通过大幅扩大寻人通知的触达范围，有效协助家庭应对这一日益令人担忧的问题。 “触达人口越多，失智症走失人士被更快寻获的概率就越高。” 在新视野中心（武吉巴督）的启动活动上，邓恩青年（Dunearn Youth）与繁花世界协会（Blossom World Society）的义工，也为失智症患者开展了怀旧音乐治疗课程及传统游戏活动。