This was written as part of the module NM2220 Media Writing where I was supposed to write a press release inviting journalists to attend the launch of MOH and HPB's nationwide campaign to raise awareness of mental health of elderly in Singapore.
PRESS RELEASE
MOH & HPB kick off “Not Myself Today” to raise awareness of mental health of elderly
Singapore, 13 November 2019 – the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Health Promotion Board (HPB) will launch a one-year nationwide campaign, Not Myself Today, on 1 December 2019 at Suntec City Convention Hall 3 from 10am to 4pm.
Not Myself Today is the first year-long nationwide campaign to be launched in Singapore, following the success of 2017 mental health awareness campaign by Touch Community Services and Nanyang Polytechnic which featured themed trains to fight the social stigma related to mental health.
There has been a rise of dementia, depression and suicide among elderly in Singapore. According to the Institute of Mental Health, one in 10 people aged 60 and above has dementia (CNA, 2019). This means there are around 82,000 people with the condition in Singapore in 2018 and the number is expected to go beyond 100,000 by 2030. The survey by Singapore Management University (SMU) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA) revealed that 72% of people with dementia feel rejection and loneliness (Ching, 2019).
In response to the rise of dementia, depression and suicide among Singapore’s elderly, CEO of Health Promotion Board, Mr Zee Yoong Kang mentioned “With such jarring numbers together with Singapore’s ageing population, it is important to be proactive in mental health awareness so actions can be taken to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.”
Minister of Health, Dr Desmond Tay, will grace the event as the Guest of Honour for the launch. The programme for the day include talks by gerontologist, Dr Lawrence Seah, and counsellors Ms Angela Tan and Mr Gerald Lim on the importance of social interaction, healthy living, dementia awareness and early diagnosis of ageing-related illnesses pertaining to the elderly in Singapore. The survey by SMU and ADA revealed that more than 57% of the general public rate themselves as low in dementia knowledge (Ching, 2019) which further reinforces the need for more dementia education and awareness.
Other than talks, there will be a quiz on ageing-related diseases hosted by Mr Kevin Lee, host of the popular TV show “Singapore’s Got Talent”. There will only be 20 places in this quiz and visitors who wish to participate must apply by 1 November 2019. Quiz prizes include air tickets to Sydney (Australia) and smartphones sponsored by Huawei.
The first 200 visitors to the event will also receive a goodie bag worth $65.
Dr Lawrence Seah, senior gerontologist at the National University Hospital also stresses the need for dementia awareness “Older adults are prone to experience stressors related to ageing such as health problems and drop in socioeconomic status with retirement. It is important for these people and those around them to be aware of how to promote active and healthy ageing.”
After the event, there will be a series of films that will be aired on television and in social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Youtube in January 2020. These three films will be based on the elderly and their self-induced stigma, and the ways families and friends can show support to them. Each film will end with the message of paying more attention to the elderly and mental health and also a MOH hotline to seek help.
“We hope that after this campaign, there will be more awareness in mental health of elderly as well as more support given to them so that elderly with dementia will feel less lonely in battling the illness, ” said Dr Desmond Tay, the Minister of Health.
Mr Zee Yoong Kang, CEO of Health Promotion Board also hopes that “Through this campaign, number of suicide cases among elderly in Singapore will be reduced from 129 in 2018 to 80 cases by 2020.”
The expected turnout for this event is 1000 people.
To attend this event, please RSVP to media liaison Erica Kuo to sign up. For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/NMT2019.
About Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health manages the public healthcare system to ensure that good and affordable basic medical services are available to all Singaporeans. It achieves this by providing subsidised medical services while promoting individual responsibility for the costs of healthcare services. It is committed to promote good health and reduce illness, ensure access to good and affordable healthcare and pursue medical excellence. The work of MOH is implemented through its three main groups: Policy and Corporate Group, Operational Groups and Professional Cluster. MOH also licenses and regulates all healthcare establishments such as hospitals, nursing homes, clinical laboratories, medical and dental clinics.
About Health Promotion Board
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) is a government organisation committed to promoting healthy living in Singapore. It is a credible and authoritative source of evidence-based health information that seeks to empower the Singapore public with knowledge and skills to take ownership of their health and live a healthy lifestyle. It empowers the Singapore public to embrace life fully through a wide range of health promotion and disease prevention programmes. It also works with the community and initiate new programmes over time to address health concerns. It believes that it can achieve a healthy nation, not alone, but through building meaningful partnerships with individuals, private and community sectors, and schools and healthcare providers to create.
For Media Clarifications:
Erica Kuo Yi Xian, PR Executive
Ministry of Health
63367117
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