SSM says around 650 new dementia outpatient referrals each year

The Health Bureau (SSM) said around 650 new cases are referred to the memory clinic at the Dementia Medical Center for treatment annually.

The bureau provides cognitive function assessment services to more than 3,000 people every year, with new cases having an average waiting time of less than four weeks.

The bureau considers this a concrete improvement in the efficiency and accessibility of dementia diagnosis and treatment services.

September is “World Dementia Month” each year, and this year’s (2026) theme is “Early Diagnosis, Early Action.”

The SSM’s Dementia Medical Center, together with the Elderly Health Support Hotline, is jointly organizing activities for the elderly, dementia patients and their families, allowing patients to maintain community participation, and has produced a variety of promotional materials to strengthen residents’ awareness of the early symptoms of dementia.

The SSM also said that over the years it has actively mobilized forces from all sectors of the community and has achieved notable results in building a “dementia-friendly community.”

At present, 209 entities have joined the “Dementia-Friendly Alliance”; the SSM and the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) have also trained 120 “dementia-friendly citizen” promotion ambassadors, through whom dementia-related information is spread to the public.

The authorities also called on residents who notice suspected symptoms in relatives or people around them to encourage them to make an appointment at their local health center for a cognitive function assessment.