Dementia prevention and inclusion efforts in super-aging Korea |
For several years, I have become close friends with a 94-year-old Korean War veteran whom I refer to as “Mr. Monday.” He visits the community library where I volunteer every Monday to borrow books. I enjoy talking with him because he uses his rich vocabulary and story-telling abilities to elaborate on what he has read each week. Mr. Monday leads an active lifestyle, cycling to grocery stores and participating in community events. Whenever he attends these events, he arrives looking neat and clean. His family provides him with emotional support and a deep sense of fulfillment. Mr. Monday embodies the ideal of healthy aging, independent and free from ailments, especially dementia. He is among the many who have proven that dementia is not an inevitable consequence of aging, highlighting the significance of a proactive approach to aging.
As Korea transitions into a super-aging society, dementia has become a common subject of discussion and misunderstanding. Dementia is not a single, specific disease that affects cognitive abilities (i.e., memory, orientation, problem-solving and language) alone but an umbrella term that also encompasses changes in emotions and behavior. The leading causes include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular disorders, Lewy body disease, frontotemporal degeneration and head injury. Each of........