Dementia Singapore and SPH Media Collaborate to Promote CARA Membership with Free Digital Newspaper Subscription

Dementia Singapore is teaming up with SPH Media, Asia’s leading media organization, to drive sign-ups for its CARA membership programme. CARA, a lifestyle mobile application, aims to foster a dementia-inclusive society by connecting people living with dementia and their caregivers to a supportive ecosystem of solutions.

Starting June 15, 2024, the first 1,000 new CARA members will receive a complimentary one-year digital newspaper subscription to their choice of The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao, Shin Min Daily News, Berita Harian, or Tamil Murasu. This offer includes full access to the chosen publication’s web and app content.

Mr. Bernard Lim, Director of Advocacy and Communications at Dementia Singapore, emphasized the importance of including Malay and Tamil newspapers to better engage the diverse communities in Singapore’s heartlands. This collaboration underscores the shared commitment of Dementia Singapore and SPH Media to promote daily reading as a means of staying cognitively active and connected, aligning with medical research that links regular reading to a reduced risk of cognitive decline in the elderly.

Dr. Philip Yap, Senior Consultant of Geriatric Medicine at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, highlighted a recent Taiwanese study demonstrating the benefits of regular reading in preventing cognitive decline among older adults. The study found that frequent reading significantly reduced the risk of cognitive decline over a 14-year period, regardless of educational level.

As part of the partnership, The Straits Times will curate up to 10 dementia-related articles from its archive for a monthly e-newsletter distributed to all CARA members and Dementia Singapore clients from August 2024 to July 2025. The e-newsletter will cover mental health, ageing, and dementia-related topics.

Additionally, SPH Media’s One FM 91.3 will be the official radio station, with Kiss92 FM as the supporting station, for Dementia Singapore’s “Richard Marx – Greatest Hits Live in Singapore” charity concert on September 14, 2024, at Our Tampines Hub (OTH).

Those interested in joining the CARA programme can visit the Dementia Singapore booth at OTH on June 15, 2024, from 3 PM to 10 PM. Alternatively, they can sign up by downloading the CARA app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.