Dementia Singapore partners Municipal Services Office to expand support for dementia community
The expanded neighbourhood alert network may strengthen community support for ageing residents, potentially improving the inclusiveness and perceived senior-friendliness of residential areas.
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.
Body
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.