MACAO, May 27 – In order to enable seniors to better understand dementia, increase their awareness of the risk factors leading to dementia, and implement preventive measures as soon as possible, the Seniors Academy of Macao Polytechnic University recently held a health seminar for the elderly on “Dementia Awareness” and invited Wu Jian Wei, Vice Chairman of the Board of the Macao Alzheimer’s Association, to as a guest speaker for this seminar.

Before the seminar, Wu first invited the attendees to play a dementia test game together. Wu introduced the common features and manifestations of dementia, including cognitive dysfunctions, behavioral disorders, and impaired functions of daily living, and different case sharing and Q&A sessions were added during the course. explanation to reinforce their understanding of the content of the explanation. ; Wu then explained how to prevent dementia. He said that although advancing age is a significant risk factor for dementia, growing evidence shows that through aerobic exercise, hearing protection, a balanced diet, social interaction , smoking cessation, alcohol restriction and chronic disease management, etc., all help reduce the risk of dementia. The Reducing the Risk of Dementia booklet was also presented to each participant to outline the resources available from the local dementia community, to help them find appropriate support when needed.

The participants benefited a lot from this seminar, especially by gaining a better understanding of the characteristics and risk factors of dementia. Regarding the dementia prevention measures shared by the speaker, some seniors said that studying at the Seniors Academy helps to reduce the risk of dementia, especially by studying different courses such as nutrition and recipes of medicine. traditional Chinese, Qigong, etc. These types of classes help to better plan the diet and improve physical fitness; moreover, participating in different activities inside and outside the academy, such as performance report and volunteer visits, also greatly enriched social interactions.