As the year comes to a close, ADA’s CEO Jason Foo looks back at the past year and shares what’s next for ADA in 2021.
The 30th Anniversary of Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA) is definitely memorable. The year 2020 will forever live in the annals of history, the pages fraught with stories of grave challenges posed by the Word of the Year – pandemic.
Many people want to forget 2020 in a hurry. Some even labelled it as a “wash-out”. I beg to differ. Instead of dwelling on the grim realities brought about by COVID-19, I choose to celebrate tales of human fortitude, empathy, generosity and innovation. We all know that life will never be the same again. But we have all adapted courageously to this new future, and that’s worth celebrating.
On the year that we celebrated our 30th birthday, ADA was forced to grow up pretty quickly. Like many other organisations, the pandemic plunged us into the deep end. I am proud to see ADA more than tread water. We showed unity, determination and resourcefulness and, as an organisation, we came out of this experience even stronger.
This renewed confidence puts us in good stead for the decades ahead. Following this rite of passage, ADA is now ready for the next phase of our life. We are now more matured, more equipped, and more capable to assume more societal responsibilities. We are ready to take on a bigger and leading role – nationally and internationally – as we continue working towards our vision of building a dementia-inclusive society.
Come 2021, ADA will assume a new identity as Dementia Singapore. The name change is more than cosmetic. This new corporate identity will align with our vision of being the leading authority on dementia in the country as well as in the region. It also broadens the scope of our organisation – from just Alzheimer’s Disease to all other dementia-related conditions – and more accurately describes and represents our area of work.
This new corporate identity also reflects the global shift in perception to use the term “dementia” to describe and identify what is now a widely accepted medical condition. The world has evolved. So must we.
Dementia Singapore will continue the work of ADA. That will not change. In addition, we will continue to explore and roll out new initiatives, programs and services in the years ahead. More details of our exciting plans will be shared in due time.
In this rapidly changing world, no organisation can afford to stand still. So as we turn the corner into 2021, Dementia Singapore invites you to continue journeying with us.
Thank you and best wishes for the New Year!
Jason Foo
Chief Executive Officer
Alzheimer’s Disease Association
