Free one-year access to SPH Media titles and dementia resources via new app by Dementia Singapore
Published on
18 Jun 2024
Published by
The Straits Times
SINGAPORE - People with dementia and their caregivers can get access to an SPH Media publication when they sign up for a new app through a tie-up between social service agency Dementia Singapore and SPH Media.
From June 15, 2024, the first 1,000 new Cara – Community, Assurance, Rewards and Acceptance – sign-ups will be eligible for a complimentary one-year subscription to one of SPH Media’s digital newspapers – The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao with Shin Min Daily News, Berita Harian or Tamil Murasu. This will include all web and mobile application articles of the chosen publication.
Cara is a free mobile app by Dementia Singapore connecting caregivers and people living with dementia with support and resources related to caring for those with dementia. Members of the public can also download the app.
This collaboration with Dementia Singapore highlights SPH Media’s support in advocating and increasing awareness of dementia.
The Straits Times will curate up to 10 dementia-related articles from its archive and share them in a monthly e-newsletter to all Cara members and clients of Dementia Singapore from August 2024 to July 2025.
The e-newsletter will focus on topics such as mental health and ageing, with added emphasis on dementia.
Members of the public interested in signing up for Cara may visit the Dementia Singapore booth located at Our Tampines Hub on June 15, 2024, from 3pm to 10pm, or download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
In a statement on June 15, Dr Philip Yap, board chairman of Dementia Singapore, said that reading is a stimulating activity that draws on attention, memory, reasoning, thinking and language. Reading reduces risk of cognitive decline, which can include frequent memory lapses, as well as difficulty in concentration and planning.
He added that a 2021 study in Taiwan found that reading helped to prevent long-term cognitive decline in older people. The study, which analysed 1,962 seniors, showed that there was a lower risk of cognitive decline in older people across different educational levels who read more often over a 14-year period.
Dr Yap, who is a senior consultant of geriatric medicine at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, said that reading benefits the elderly by keeping them in touch with the community and world by helping them be informed about the news, which encourages healthy ageing.
Mr Jason Foo, chief executive officer of Dementia Singapore, said: “The benefit of reading is obvious, which is why parents start reading to their children even before they turn one and many continue reading way into their old age.
“And that is a fortunate coincidence to keep in mind, as we strive to delay the onset of dementia. It also underscores the many ways of productively engaging the mind that are readily available yet often overlooked.”
Dementia education results in a well-informed community, stamping out the stigma patients face, said Mr Foo. Examples of the issues that people living with dementia face include rejection, loneliness, shame and feeling less competent.
SPH Media radio stations Kiss92 FM and One FM 91.3 will be the official radio stations for Dementia Singapore’s key initiatives. In particular, Kiss92 FM will be the supporting radio station for Dementia Singapore’s upcoming Richard Marx-Greatest Hits Live In Singapore charity concert on Sept 14, 2024, at Our Tampines Hub.
Mr Foo said the new partnership will be a shared commitment to promote daily reading and reduce cognitive decline through healthy ageing by keeping the elderly connected to society.
Ms Eunice Shen, chief customer officer of SPH Media, said: “We are proud to partner Dementia Singapore on this meaningful journey of fostering an inclusive and supportive society in Singapore.
“We are in a privileged position to support cognitive health, and hope to actively engage dementia patients and caregivers. We are confident that the wide array of educational articles in our e-newsletter will serve Cara members and clients well, particularly on topics such as dementia and mental wellness.”
Correction note: This story has been edited for clarity.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Reproduced with permission.
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