Taiwan Steel cheerleading goddess An Zhizhen serves as the "Dementia Friendly Ambassador" and has a long-lasting friendship with Korean overseas Chinese Aunt Pan. During the joint interview, she said that the two met today (1st). As soon as Aunt Pan saw her, she said she missed her very much. The two hugged each other and were touched that her aunt still remembered her. Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke.
[Reporter Wu Baixuan/Report from Taipei] Taiwan Steel Eagles cheerleading goddess An Zhizhen served as a "dementia friendly ambassador" and communicated with Aunt Pan, who has dementia. It turned out that Aunt Pan was an overseas Chinese in Korea. The two of them started talking in Korean as soon as they met, talking about Korean folk songs and their hometown. Cooking and painting "My Dining Table" together also gave An Zhizhen a deep understanding of such a daily thing as eating, but elders with dementia may gradually forget it. In the creation, the dining table is also used as a container of family memories, hoping that the elders can regain the love and warmth they once had at the dining table.
Jointly organized by the Catholic Dementia Foundation and the Chinese Association for Dementia Care, a special art exhibition for the elderly with dementia titled "Blooming Together" will be held today (1st) in the domestic terminal exhibition room of Songshan Airport. Art therapist Cai Wenfang led 50 elders and together with family members, clergy, artists, etc., completed 82 works. It is hoped that through the special exhibition, more people will see the creativity and brilliance of life that the elderly with dementia still possess.
An Zhizhen specifically mentioned in Chinese that he is a "super foodie". However, the daily matter of eating may be forgotten by the elderly with dementia as soon as they put down their bowls and chopsticks. The powerlessness makes people feel distressed. Therefore, he and Aunt Pan jointly created "My Dining Table". Because Aunt Pan also likes Korean food very much, the two of them thought of "bringing it to memory" Draw the food you keep and like!” Moreover, Korean home-cooked meals usually have a warm connotation. He also pointed out that the dining table in the painting is not only a place for food, but also a container for family memories. He hopes that even if the memories of the elders begin to fade, the love and warmth that once surrounded the dining table will never disappear. An Zhiyan also donated NT$100,000 in the hope of attracting more people to pay attention to this issue. The "My Dining Table" painting was also sold as a charity T-shirt.
Taiwan Steel cheerleading goddess An Chi-chan (right) serves as the "Dementia Friendly Ambassador" and hit it off with Korean-Chinese Aunt Pan. They jointly created the "My Dining Table" painting to attract more social attention to dementia issues.
Chen Shumei, Secretary-General of the Department of Social Welfare and Social Welfare of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said that the exhibition combines dementia care with artistic creation, allowing the elderly to develop their abilities, and also allows precious works and life stories to be seen by more people, bringing more understanding and kindness to the aging society.
Auxiliary Bishop Zhao Yongji of the Catholic Archdiocese of Taipei said that the former Pope Francis cared very much about the elderly and established the "World Grandparents and Elderly Day". The current Pope Leo XIV also reminded the world not to forget the elders; he emphasized that even if dementia gradually blurs the memory, every life still has irreplaceable dignity and value.
Deng Shixiong, CEO of the foundation, said that painting is one of a variety of non-drug therapeutic care activities. In addition to improving cognitive function, regaining dignity and promoting quality of life, it can also gain spiritual satisfaction through the companionship and participation of religious figures. The elders can also start from a stroke or a color and feel again: "I can still do it, I can do it."
