The landmarks light up to commemorate World Alzheimer’s Day and champion the dementia cause in Singapore.

 

Five of Singapore’s most iconic landmarks were lighted up in the evening recently as a show of solidarity with the dementia community. To commemorate World Alzheimer’s Day and champion the dementia cause in Singapore, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, National Gallery Singapore, Singapore Flyer, and Singapore Sports Hub were illuminated in hues of purple and yellow. Purple is the symbolic colour universally associated with dementia, while yellow represents positivity, providing an enlightened contrast to the stigma and negativity often associated with the condition.

The light-up was organised by Dementia Singapore, the country’s organisation in dementia care, and is in support of the Dementia-Friendly Singapore (DFSG) movement by the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC). The light-up was part of Dementia Singapore’s advocacy efforts to raise awareness for the condition and the people impacted by it – people living with dementia, caregivers and family members, healthcare professionals, and community care workers – during the month of September, which is globally commemorated as World Alzheimer’s Month.

For dementia self-advocate Anjang Rosli, the light-up presents an opportunity to raise more awareness of the condition and those living with it in Singapore. “Awareness of dementia is a critical part of building an empathetic and dementia-inclusive society. I believe that this light-up event is an impactful way to bring more people – even those who have not been directly touched by dementia – into the conversation,” said Anjang.

Dementia is a general term that describes a wide range of symptoms such as loss of memory, difficulties in communication and problem-solving, and other reduced cognitive abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. Types of dementia include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.

According to the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study led by the Institute of Mental Health in 2015, one in 10 people aged 60 and above may have dementia. Locally, there are an estimated 100,000 people in Singapore who have dementia, and that number is rising.