by Xinhua writer Cao Pengyuan
SHANGHAI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- At a public services center on Anhua Road in Shanghai, elderly visitors living with cognitive impairments are invited to experience the healing power of a vibrant atmosphere as they navigate the center's cafe, fine art and virtual reality sections, and engage in dance, music and aromatherapy it offers.
Since it was inaugurated in January last year, the "Friendly-Blue Citizen Center" in the city's Changning District has launched over 300 events and served over 2,000 people, pioneering innovative senile cognitive impairment care services in a metropolis home to millions of senior citizens.
These care services have delivered notable improvements to the health of elderly recipients, according to Gu Chunling, founder of the Shanghai Jinmei Elderly Care, which is one of the center's major participants.
"Although the course of cognitive impairments is irreversible, elderly people who are unable to take care of themselves can regain some of their everyday abilities through continuous stimulation of the brain, which helps family caregivers a lot," Gu said.
Over roughly a year of operation, the center has also driven the development of a friendly urban district for seniors with cognitive impairments.
"The services center is not an isolated point," said Shen Xin, director of the civil affairs bureau of Changning District. It is connected to cafes, shops and banks in the neighborhood, which are also participating in the public cause of providing care and convenient services for these seniors.
Against the backdrop of China's aging population, Changning District's localized care services epitomize the country's proactive response to senile cognitive impairments and, in particular, a later stage of related health issues -- dementia.
"It takes about 20 to 30 years for a pathological change in the brain to develop into dementia. The stage prior to the presence of dementia symptoms is mild cognitive impairments. If people are diagnosed at this stage and receive early intervention, they can hopefully delay the onset of dementia and have a good life expectancy," said Kang Lin, a doctor in the geriatric department of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), one of the most prestigious hospitals in China.
Due to the population aging process and a rise in China's average life expectancy, the number of people with senile dementia in the country continues to increase, posing severe challenges to these individuals, their families and broader society, and becoming a major nationwide health issue.
The total number of people with Alzheimer's disease -- the most common type of dementia -- and other types of dementia across the country has surpassed 16 million, according to a report released in 2024.
To continue the anti-dementia fight, Chinese authorities recently released a national action plan for the work during the 2024-2030 period.
According to the plan, by 2030, cognitive function screening for the elderly will be extensively carried out, while those with risks of dementia will be guaranteed early intervention. The standardized dementia diagnosis and treatment mechanisms will be further refined and the capacity to provide related care services will be improved steadily.
A comprehensive and continuous prevention and control system for dementia, covering prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and care, will be established by 2030, it says.
"Dementias such as Alzheimer's disease are a complex health problem. However, with proactive prevention measures and early intervention, we can effectively reduce the risk of their occurrence," said Yin Xiangjun, an expert on senior health with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the plan, China will build a working mechanism, services network and workforce to carry out cognitive function screening and early intervention for elderly people through a synergy of hospitals, disease control agencies and primary-level health care institutions.
Following the detection of anomalies in the screening process, seniors will be referred to qualified health care institutions for medical treatment, notes the plan.
It outlines efforts to encourage the setup of memory-related clinics in healthcare institutions and cognitive impairment departments in eligible hospitals, with improved standard for senile dementia diagnosis and treatment.
"Good nursing is crucial for people with Alzheimer's disease," said PUMCH doctor Gao Jing, adding that a healthy lifestyle and medication are also important to fight the disease.
To boost the provision of nursing services, the plan also outlines a model integrating home, community and institution-based care for senile dementia, and encourages the construction of caregiving facilities in rural and urban communities.
By 2030, dedicated care units for seniors with dementia will account for 50 percent of elderly care institutions with over 100 beds and adequate services capabilities, and 15 million people will be trained for dementia care, according to the plan. ■