Tainan Launches Taiwan’s First Dementia-Friendly Financial Street to Serve Individuals with Dementia

Tainan Launches Taiwan’s First Dementia-Friendly Financial Street to Serve Individuals with Dementia

As Taiwan enters an aging society and the number of people with dementia continues to rise annually, efforts to strengthen the dementia-friendly community care network are becoming increasingly important. In response, Chi Mei Medical Center has not only guided all 66 branches of King’s Town Bank across Taiwan to become Dementia-Friendly Organizations offering inclusive financial services, but also collaborated with multiple banking institutions along Zhonghua Road and Xiaodong Road in Yongkang District to jointly establish the first Dementia-Friendly Financial Street in Tainan. This initiative is specifically designed to provide financial services for individuals with dementia, ensuring the safety and security of their financial affairs.

Participating banks include Bank of Taiwan, the Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank, E.SUN Bank, Taishin International Bank, Chang Hwa Bank, Yuanta Bank, Chunghwa Post, KGI Bank, Taiwan Business Bank, and Taiwan Shin Kong Commercial Bank. Together, they have launched dementia-friendly anti-fraud financial services, creating a strong safeguard for financial security. These services aim to provide individuals with dementia and their families with comprehensive financial safety information, implementing preventive measures specifically targeting the high risk of fraud. This initiative helps alleviate the burden and stress on families by reducing the risk of financial loss.

Since 2019, Chi Mei Hospital has been dedicated to promoting a dementia-friendly community in Yongkang District, now entering its sixth year. As of this year, the hospital has recruited 398 dementia-friendly volunteers, 7,632 dementia-friendly angels, and 406 Dementia-Friendly Organizations. Today’s event brought together a wide range of health and lifestyle resources—from health screenings to financial security—to provide individuals with dementia and their families with a safe, supportive community environment. By integrating precision medicine dementia risk assessments, AI-based predictive technologies, and dementia-friendly financial services, the initiative offers the public dual protection in both health management and financial security.

Hsiu-Chin Chen, Deputy Superintendent and Chief Director of the Nursing Department at Chi Mei Medical Center, noted that risk factors for dementia include advanced age, family history, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and unhealthy lifestyle habits. Through explanations by neurologists on 14 brain care tips, and the use of AI technology for stroke prevention screening, electrocardiogram screening is employed to identify individuals with arrhythmia. This enables early medical treatment and health management to prevent stroke and reduce the risk of developing dementia.