SINGAPORE — Saint Andrew’s Community Hospital (SACH) has opened its first ward dedicated to patients with dementia as it observed a growing need for such dementia-specific facility among its patients.

Speaking at a media briefing for its new ward today (May 22), SACH Chief Executive Officer Dr Loh Yik Hin said the ward was important in providing the right amount of care and support to patients with moderate to severe dementia and require physical rehabilitation.

He added that the new ward would then offer a purpose-built physical environment and a new care model.

Previously, the hospital could only provide physical rehabilitation for patients with mild dementia as its rehab-focused facilities and care model then was not adequate for people with moderate to severe dementia.

Aiming to move away from a hospital environment, the existing ward on the fourth-floor of the hospital was redesigned to be more “home-like” to help patients stay active and socially engaged, said SACH.

Part of the new person-centred care model also involves considering each patient’s abilities, interests and personalities. For instance, patients can participate in “purposeful activities” on top of the physical rehabilitation programme — such as mahjong and movie screenings — that are based on their interests.

Specific and personalised care plans are also drawn up through assessments during the patient’s hospitalisation.

Upon discharge, handouts with dementia care tips are also made available in three foreign languages, to help foreign domestic workers better perform caregiving duties, for instance.

More handrails, clearer signages, passcode-enabled doors and more call bells in toilets, among other things, are also present to help create a safer environment for the dement patients who may wander around.

The 22-bed ward began operations last October and has since seen 78 patients as of April this year.