*UPDATE: Effective 19 March 2021, the Safe Return Card and ADA Memo will discontinue. If you are interested in the new platform and wish to enjoy the current benefits and more, please write to us at [email protected] with subject “Safe Return Card”.
The Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA) and Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) have collaborated to bring a new initiative that offers assistance to persons living with dementia and their caregivers who may inadvertently violate COVID-19 safety measures due to their condition.
Named SPOC-19, or ‘Support for Persons living with dementia Over the COVID-19 period’, the initiative aims to help families who are concerned that their loved ones with dementia who may unintentionally break Circuit Breaker rules.
Some persons living with dementia may lack the cognitive ability to fully comprehend the COVID-19 situation, and thus may not comply with Circuit Breaker Measures like practicing safe distancing or wearing a mask, and may gather at closed-off hawker centres and other public areas. This might result in them being approached by enforcement officers and being penalised.
SPOC-19 introduces three ‘identifiers’ that persons with dementia and their caregivers can register for, which will help members of the public and ground enforcement authorities recognise this vulnerable group and offer the appropriate assistance.
Two more commonly known identifiers are the “Safe Return Card*” by National Council of Social Service (NCSS), and the “ICED” (In case of Emergency, Dial) Sticker by Agency for Integrated Care (AIC).
A third identifier is the newly launched ADA Memo, initiated by ADA. Persons with dementia and their caregivers can either apply through their Community Care providers or directly at dementia.org.sg/ADAmemo.
“We have been listening to persons living with dementia and their caregivers, and we fully understand that it can be a challenge to adhere strictly to the Circuit Breaker rules. This personalised ADA Memo will identify them as being registered with ADA, and appeals for patience, support, and understanding from enforcement officers in the event that they are approached for breaking the Circuit Breaker rules inadvertently,” said Mr Jason Foo, Chief Executive Officer, Alzheimer’s Disease Association.
Read up more on how the ADA Memo can help persons living with Dementia during this period, and get some tips on how you can keep the document safely with you!
For more information, write to [email protected] or call the Dementia Helpline at 6377 0700, Monday to Friday (9am to 6pm).
For ADA’s latest advisories on COVID-19, please visit dementia.org.sg/advisory/covid. You may also refer to our list of COVID-19 care tips and suggestions at dementia.org.sg/covid19.
