Sassy Mama Supports: Walk 2 Remember, Combatting Dementia One Step at a Time

Did you know you could lower your risk of dementia just by walking, mama? Get the kiddos to sign up for the FREE Walk 2 Remember Walkathon with grandma and grandpa this March

While dementia may be far from our minds right now, chances are we know someone who’s going through it, be it a parent, an elderly family member or even an older friend. When my grandfather started showing signs of the illness about two years ago, we didn’t know what it was – he just often seemed out of it and not himself. He would talk about very odd things (this was an intelligent man who was a notable figure in the community due to his position at the local mosque), and we would always attribute it to him just slowly losing his way. Not long after those initial symptoms, though, he soon became non-verbal and things didn’t get much better from there.

A survey revealed that caregivers tend to believe that it is unlikely for their senior relatives to be diagnosed with the condition. The reality? At present, 1 in 10 people above the age of 60 have dementia. This proportion jumps to one in two people for those above 85. The prevalence of dementia is projected to increase to more than 130,000 people by 2030 for an aged population like Singapore. So can you really say, ‘never’?

Spearheaded by a group of Nanyang Technological University students, Walk 2 Remember seeks to encourage the simple act of walking as a way to delay one’s risk or progression of dementia. Working in partnership with Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA), Walk 2 Remember aims to spur more families on to take more planned walks together as an achievable first step towards a physically and mentally healthier Singapore. Just 30 minutes a day at an optimum five times a week is all you need!

These preliminary survey results join a 20-year-long study by the Department of Radiology at the University of Pittsburgh in the USA. Conducted on 426 individuals, the department’s initial 2011 publication revealed the correlative effect of walking on brain preservation using MRI scans. Adults who engaged in walking regularly at an earlier age were also found to reap greater benefits. So it’s time to get into the habit of walking now, mama! Teaching the kids to walk and get active will also benefit the whole fam in the long run.

Take the first step towards combatting dementia by taking the kids, grandma and grandpa to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park on 16 March for the Walk 2 Remember walkathon. Held in collaboration with the Ang Mo Kio Partners Network, it aims to develop Dementia-Friendly Communities within the AMK region in the coming years. We hope the initiative spreads to other communities on the island too!

So get ready for a walkathon dedicated to lowering the risk of dementia! There’ll be lots of leisure walking, interactive informational booths, panel discussions, games, lucky draws and more. See you there!

All the details!
When: Saturday, 16 March 2019, 8:15am – 1pm
Where: Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, The Promenade, 1384 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Singapore 569982
How much: The walkathon is open to all and free-of-charge. Register via the link below!

www.walk2remembersg.com