A district health center is working with dementia friendly stores so that persons with dementia can be interns for a day at the stores. That’s to help slow down the conditions in people with dementia and to help the public better understand the symptoms.
The Taipei District Health Center is cooperating with a dementia friendly store to offer persons with dementia a chance to become interns at the store. It’s not difficult for them to do simple things like sweeping the floor or watering the plants. Usually they have challenges with short memory, but with the help of a sales clerk, they can even be the cashier. Working as an intern one day a week at the store can help slow down dementia.
Mr. Liu in the footage has dementia. He is working as a cashier that day. His caregiver says he likes working at the store. She says it keeps his spirit cheerful.
The health ministry’s statistics show that 8% of those above the age of 65 in Taiwan suffer from dementia. That’s at least 300,000 people with dementia according to figures in February. Hopefully more enterprises will be offering valuable opportunities for people with dementia so that they don’t become detached from society.