Lianhe Zaobao – AI-Powered Food Photos Evoke Memories to Personalise Dementia Care in Nursing Homes

A photo of a late family member, an old kampung house, a piece of white sugar cake… these elements, combined with artificial intelligence, may soon be part of innovative dementia treatment approaches. Local nursing homes are set to integrate these personalized techniques for dementia care.

On Sunday (August 25), Sree Narayana Mission (Singapore) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Inspire Healthcare to explore advanced medical techniques that could bring a more human-centered approach to the mission’s nursing homes, day care centres, and other facilities.

Sree Narayana Mission (Singapore) CEO: Ensuring Dignity for the Elderly

Sree Narayana Mission (Singapore), a charity organisation, currently operates a nursing home in Yishun with 224 beds. In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao, the organization’s president, Mr. S. Devendran, shared that by 2028, the mission plans to build two more nursing homes. This expansion will bring the total number of beds across the three nursing homes to nearly 900. In addition, the mission runs three elderly care centres in Yishun, Woodlands, and Bedok, offering services such as dementia care and community rehabilitation.

“It is our responsibility to ensure they live here with dignity,” he stated.

Wu Huimin, Executive Chairman of Inspire Healthcare, told reporters that over the past year and a half, the company has been developing a dementia treatment method in collaboration with both local and international experts. She added that they are considering launching a pilot project in nursing homes affiliated with Sree Narayana Mission in the future.

She explained that although dementia patients may not be familiar with many things around them, they still have memories of the past. For example, photos of deceased relatives can stimulate their brains, as can the kampongs they lived in and the food they ate in the past.

“We use various stimuli to engage the patient’s memory, and with the assistance of artificial intelligence, we create a personalised treatment plan,” she explained.

This innovative approach was welcomed by Ms. Teresa Omli Tacis, a senior nurse at Sree Narayana Mission’s Nursing Home in Yishun. She shared with reporters that dementia patients often become angry without apparent cause, making nursing care challenging. However, old photos have proven helpful in some cases.

“When we showed the patients their old photos, they were able to recall many memories and even shared details about their past hobbies,” she said.

The signing ceremony took place at Naval Base Secondary School as part of a community event celebrating the 170th birth anniversary of Sree Narayana Guru, an Indian saint, philosopher, and spiritual leader, whom the organisation is named after. On the same day, the mission also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Health Services Employees Union and the social service organisation, AWWA. Mr. Murali Pillai, Minister of State for Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport, attended the event as the Guest of Honour and urged the public to support the mission’s social initiatives.

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