Yangcheon-gu to hold brain health lecture and 'Green Memory Cafe' ceremony to mark Dementia Awareness Day
Professor Kim Geon-ha lectures on 'Brain Health' on Sept. 9; Sept. 16 event at 'Green Memory Cafe' to feature commendations, slogan contest display and healing program
Yangcheon-gu will hold back-to-back events to mark the 19th Dementia Awareness Day, hosting a brain health lecture on Sept. 9 and a Green Memory Cafe ceremony on Sept. 16 to promote public understanding and prevention of dementia.
Dementia Awareness Day is a national observance designated under the Dementia Management Act, held every Sept. 21 to raise awareness of dementia care and build social consensus around the issue. This year, the district has organized a health lecture offering information on dementia prevention and early detection, alongside a commemorative event highlighting the social participation of early-onset dementia patients, with the aim of deepening residents' understanding of and empathy toward the condition.
The health lecture, titled "A Neurologist's Guide to Brain Health," will be held Wednesday at the second-floor main lecture hall of the annex building of the Yangcheon-gu Public Health Center.
The lecture will be delivered by Kim Geon-ha, a neurology professor at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital and director of the Yangcheon-gu Dementia Care Center. Kim will explain the key symptoms of dementia, the importance of early detection, and information on diagnosis and treatment in terms accessible to the general public. The session will particularly focus on practical brain health habits for everyday life, conveying the importance of dementia prevention and routine health management.
On Sept. 16, a Dementia Awareness Day ceremony will be held at the Green Memory Cafe under the theme "Green Memories, Walking Together." The Green Memory Cafe is a space designed to support early-onset dementia patients — those diagnosed before the age of 65 — by enabling them to participate in employment using their own skills and continue playing a role as members of the community. The cafe opened last year and currently operates on the first floor of the Sinwol Community Health Post at 407 Nambusunhwan-ro.
The event will look back on the contributions of early-onset dementia patients, their families and specialist dementia volunteers who have been involved in running the cafe, and will serve as a meaningful occasion to highlight the social participation and community roles of dementia patients. Commendations will be presented to individuals who have contributed to cafe operations and dementia-awareness activities, and winning entries from a dementia-awareness slogan contest will be put on display. An aromatherapy healing one-day class will also be offered to help participants unwind and recharge.
The Yangcheon-gu Dementia Care Center provides step-by-step dementia management services covering prevention, early detection, and support for patients and their families. This year, the center conducted neighborhood-based dementia screening visits, examining a total of 2,947 local residents, and has been supporting patients and families in maintaining stable daily lives in the community through tailored case management and an online "E-Hope Classroom" for dementia caregivers.
"Early detection and consistent management are key when it comes to dementia, which is why it is important to pay attention to brain health and develop a proper understanding of the condition," Yangcheon-gu District Mayor Lee Gi-jae said. "Through these events, we will work to broaden awareness of dementia and continue building an environment where patients and their families can naturally sustain their roles and relationships within the community."
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