Yeongdeung-suda Harmony Spreads Warm Embraces with Dementia Patients, Families, and Volunteers

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Members of the Yeongdeung-suda Harmony choir from the Yeongdeung Dementia Relief Center in Yeongdeung-gu, Suwon, participated in the "Relay Hug" campaign hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Central and Metropolitan Dementia Centers.

About 20 elderly members active in Yeongdeung-suda Harmony embraced elderly dementia patients, families of dementia patients, and dementia partners (volunteers) on the 2nd in front of Exit 1 of Yeongdeungpo Station in Suwon. Dementia partners are tasked with providing accurate information about dementia and connecting patients and their families with dementia relief centers so they can receive assistance.

Each time the members embraced others, dementia partners shouted to citizens, "Please give warm hugs to dementia patients and their families."

The Relay Hug campaign is an event organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Central and Metropolitan Dementia Centers to improve awareness about dementia. The campaign continues through the 12th Dementia Awareness Day event to be held at Sejong University on the 20th of this month.

Yeongdeung-suda Harmony, founded in April by the Yeongdeung Dementia Relief Center, is a choir comprised of elderly dementia patients using the Yeongdeung-gu Dementia Relief Center, elderly members in the "high-risk dementia group," elderly participants in dementia prevention programs, and families of dementia patients. The choir currently has 35 active members.

Yeongdeung-suda Harmony, which participated in a government-sponsored Silver Choir Competition organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, has passed the preliminary rounds and is preparing for the finals on the 20th.