Seoul City to Hold "Memory Together Expo" on September 17-18 for Dementia Awareness Day

Held at Sun Garden, Jonggak Station
Early-Stage Dementia Participants Serve as One-Day Staff, Including Baristas

Seoul City announced on September 16 that it will hold the “Memory Together Expo” at the Sun Garden of Jonggak Station from September 17 to 18 in celebration of the 19th Dementia Awareness Day. Around 40 people with mild cognitive impairment and those in the early stages of dementia will participate as “one-day staff,” taking roles such as baristas, assistant librarians, and event guides to directly engage with citizens.

Commemorative Event Poster. Provided by Seoul City.

This event is hosted by Seoul City and organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Center for Dementia, together with 25 district Dementia Relief Centers. The expo is open not only to people living with dementia and their families, but also to the general public.

The core message of the expo is that “there are things you can do, even with dementia.” People living with dementia have long been seen simply as recipients of care. However, those with early-stage dementia or mild cognitive impairment are capable of independent daily living and have the desire to continue social activities by utilizing their experience and strengths.

Participants will serve as baristas preparing beverages and curating music at the “Memory Cafe,” and as assistant librarians organizing books at the “Dementia Library.” They will also take part in activities linked to real community jobs, such as helping maintain the environment and serving customers in local restaurants. Additionally, the event offers dementia empathy counseling, flowerpot decorating, fall-prevention exercises, and support for installing the cognitive health app “BrainFit45.”

The “Together for Tomorrow (My Job), Job Bank” program explores possible employment opportunities for people with mild cognitive impairment. It provides counseling to identify their preferred roles and strengths, helping them find suitable social activities, while also creating opportunities for companies and organizations to discover roles that these individuals can fulfill.

Exhibitions will introduce community activities that are already underway. In Seongbuk-gu’s “Memory Bookstore,” people with dementia and their families create books and bookmarks featuring their writings and drawings, while Seongdong-gu’s “Memory General Store” offers memory-themed merchandise made by the participants themselves. In Nowon-gu’s “Laundry Service,” people with mild cognitive impairment assist with laundry and check in on households at higher risk for dementia.

On the final day of the expo, a talk concert titled “Even If I Forget, I Still Shine” will be held with writer Jo Gi-hyun, who cared for an early-onset dementia patient.

Cho Young-chang, Director of the Seoul City Citizens’ Health Bureau, stated, “Being diagnosed with dementia or mild cognitive impairment does not mean your social contribution has to end. We hope this expo will provide people living with dementia the chance to connect to society by leveraging their experience and strengths, and help citizens better understand that it is possible to work and live together, even with dementia.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.