What does dementia sound like?
The Enabling Festival (6-8 September 2019) is in its second run this year. Our focus is on sound (in the form of hearing), one of the five senses. Sound has significant impact on persons with dementia in terms of their quality of life.
This three-day community festival is a kaleidoscope of multidisciplinary activities in the areas of art, music, design, theatre, film, dance, medical forums and hands-on workshops. Through these programmes and activities, we hope to showcase the potentialities in enabling persons with dementia to enjoy a better quality of life.
The festival also shines a spotlight on caregivers, who are often the invisible heroes and provides possibilities for caregivers’ respite and solace through many interesting activities. I am heartened to see many activities for caregivers such as Sharing Sessions, Meditation and Breathing workshops and even a Silent Disco Party, amongst many others.
This collaboration between Enable Asia, DesignSingapore Council, National Design Centre, OneMaker Group, Project We Forgot, Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA), ARUP, BLOXAS Architects and the support from Our Singapore Fund (OSF) and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) allows the second edition of the Enabling Festival to leverage on how design, art and technology can make an impact in enabling persons with dementia, their caregivers and improve the quality of their life as we aspire to be a dementia friendly community.
Sound Field
6 Sept – 6 Oct 2019: 11.00am – 9.00pm
‘Sound Field’ is an immersive, interactive and experimental installation aimed at raising awareness of the role of sound in urban design and to simulate what it might feel like to live with dementia. A soundscape of Singapore city has been created, ranging from the home environment to public spaces, where it is possible to study how sounds may become disorientating and confusing. ‘Sound Field’ is a collaboration between ARUP and BLOXAS Architects co-presented with DesignSingapore Council, as part of the Enabling Festival 2019 at the National Design Centre.
Rocking Chair Therapy-A Mother’s Cradling Arms
6 – 8 Sept 2019: 11.00am – 9.00pm
Rocking chair therapy has a positive effect on the mental and physical well-being for persons with dementia. It also improves the quality of life and contributes to a calmer environment for persons with dementia. The rocking chair therapy also proved to be a promising innovative method for improving quality of life for care facility residents..
Silent Disco-Closing Party
8 Sept 2019: 5.30pm – 7.00pm
It can be weird yet liberating, immersive yet euphoric. But it isn’t imposing, which makes it quite possibly the coolest thing ever. Put on a special pair of noise-cancelling headphones and gather with others who have done the same. Individually you can tune into one of the multiple channels – with specially curated playlists of yesteryear. Join us in this silent tea dance.
Designathon We Engage 2019
31 Aug – 1 Sept 2019
Designathon We Engage 2019 looks to empower the community to come together to design for dementia! The event brings together designers, developers, entrepreneurs, students, caregivers, healthcare workers and social service providers to collaborate and identify design solutions for persons with dementia and their caregivers in Singapore
Join in on various activities across the month of August and September 2019 as we view dementia from different perspectives, and explore how we can design for dementia.
Talks & Discussions
Talk: Lasting Power of Attorney (Malay)
7 Sept 2019: 2.00pm – 3.00pm
The LPA (Lasting Power of Attorney) is a legal document which allows a person who is at least 21 years of age to appoint one or more persons to make decisions and act on his behalf should he lose mental capacity one day.Register Now
Talk: Challenges Faced by Caregivers of Person with Dementia (English|Malay)
7 Sept 2019: 12.00pm – 1.00pm
Addressing some of the observed issues and challenges with regards to dementia and caregiving. Some topics include caregiver burnout, shared beliefs and values, and how those components seemingly influence one another. Register Now
Talk: Music & Sound in Caregiving (English)
7 Sept 2019: 4.30pm – 5.30pm
Join us to understand more about Dementia and Music, choosing the right type of music for the person you are caring for and the training needed to administer music therapy. Discover how music therapy actually works and how it improves cognitive abilities and speech, how it can help to build rapport between a caregiver and the care recipient and the benefits it can bring to a caregiver.Register Now
Talk: Symphony of the Mind (Mandarin)
8 Sept 2019: 10.00am – 11.00am
Neuro Soundwave 通过有节奏的神经元振荡在您的脑海中创造交响乐。它可以改善记忆力，增强心理健康。Neurocode 董事长兼首席执行官,陈锐斐,将带您完成大脑生命周期的旅程。更好地了解您的大脑，并学习如何保持您的大脑年轻和健康。立即报名 >
Talk: Importance of Financial Planning for Caregivers
8 Sept 2019: 12.30pm – 1.00pm
The sacrifices you have made to look after your family member’s needs are truly praiseworthy. You may have consciously chosen to give up on promising life’s opportunities so as to dedicate yourself to looking after them. In the process, you may also have pushed your future wealth considerations to the back burner. This talk addresses the financial concerns of caregivers followed by a complimentary financial health clinic for attendees.Register Now
Talk: Symphony of the Mind (English)
8 Sept 2019: 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Neuro Soundwave creates symphony in your mind with rhythmic neuron oscillations. It improves memory and enhances mental wellness. This talk will take you through the journey of the life cycle of your brain, understand your brain better and learn how to keep your brain young and healthy.Register Now
Talk: Talk: Will writing (Mandarin)
8 Sept 2019: 11.00am – 12.00pm
通过这个讲座，您可以了解做遗嘱的重要性和过程, 并且也近一步的了解遗嘱认证书和遗产委托书与公积金的分配。 立即报名 >
Talk: Will writing (English)
8 Sept 2019: 3.30pm – 4.30pm
This is a frank discussion about end-of-life issues (such as your personal welfare and healthcare arrangements, asset distribution as well as other wishes). Plan for your future with this talk that aims to educate you on issues relating to end-of-life preparation.
Register Now
Talk: Understanding Dementia and Creating a Safe Home Environment for Persons with Dementia (English|Tamil)
8 Sept 2019: 2.00pm – 3.00pm
Understand the different types and symptoms of dementia, how it affects the person’s ability to live independently, the challenges the family may face caring for their loved ones with dementia and practical steps that can be taken to minimise the impact it has on the family. This talk will also share the various support avenues for families and how to access these services.Register Now
Talk: Dementia, Hearing and Sound (English)
8 Sept 2019: 4.30pm – 5.30pm
There will be an exploration of the links between dementia, hearing and sound and an in-depth sharing on the use of sound and music on managing challenging behaviours in dementia.
Register Now
Panel Discussion: Nüwa (English)
6 Sept 2019: 4.00pm – 5.00pm
The Role of Creatives in Dementia Care. We will hear from two creative enterprises; Mind Palace who are addressing the wellbeing of the patient and those in their circle of care, and from Our Better World who aim to inform and build empathy, preparing all of us to better manage dementia.Register Now
Panel Discussion: Dementia in Art & Film (English)
7 Sept 2019: 3.00pm – 4.30pm
Join us for this engaging and insightful panel discussion on the role of art and film in dementia which will open up discussions about how film as an art form, can contribute and shape society’s impression of some of the most taboo issues and stigma such as Dementia, in our conservative Asian environment.Register Now
Panel Discussion: How Music and Sound can Support the Caregiving Journey (English)
8 Sept 2019: 4.00pm – 5.00pm
The panel will engage in a dialogue on the influence of music on health and behaviour, on PWDs (persons with dementia), minimise some of the symptoms of dementia (such as agitation) and can help to reduce anxiety and depression.Register Now
Performances
7 Sept 2019: 11.00am – 12.00pm, 2.00pm – 3.00pm, 4.00pm – 5.00pm
8 Sept 2019: 11.00am – 12.00pm, 1.00pm – 2.00pm, 3.00pm – 4.00pm
Do the sounds trigger recent memories or do they carry stories of yesteryear? What are memories? Are they stories as vivid as they happened or are they fragments of happenings that we choose to remember or even embellish? Come to an oral archival theatre that will be personal, personified and personalised. Just for you. Register Now
Theatre: 三字经 3 Words, Repeat.
7 Sept 2019: 1.00pm – 1.30pm, 3.00pm – 3.30pm, 5.30pm – 6.00pm
8 Sept 2019: 12.00pm – 12.30pm, 1.30pm – 2.00pm, 3.00pm – 3.30pm
Living with dementia is living in the present and the past, all at once. “三字经 3 Words, Repeat.” is about a real-life father and daughter duo reflecting on who they were and who they are at this point of their shared journey navigating through dementia.Register Now
Activities
7 Sept 2019: 10.30am – 11.30pm
Discover how to attract more of what you want, and release what you don’t want, so that you can “Work; Play, Love, Live, Better”. A guided meditation experience to relax, rejuvenate and heal your mind and body. Join us to learn and experience the benefits of breathing techniques for healing and relaxation.Register Now
Workshop: Ukulele Jukebox (English)
7 Sept 2019: 12.00pm – 1.00pm
8 Sept 2019: 1.30pm – 2.30pm
Spend 60 minutes and find out more about the humble ukulele! Learn the basics, including tuning, strumming and keeping rhythm. Not only do you walk away with a smile, but more importantly, you receive a life skill that you can share with others. All you need is your enthusiasm.Register Now
Workshop: How Am I Forgetting? (English)
7 Sept 2019: 1.30pm – 2.30pm
8 Sept 2019: 12.30pm – 1.30pm
In this exploratory somatic experience, you will discover how your brain and body is communicating. This process shall offer you insights into the daily challenges of what persons with dementia face. This is an educational invitation to unlock and extend empathy – to the person with dementia and their caregivers.Register Now
Party: Silent Disco Closing Party
8 Sept 2019: 5.30pm – 7.00pm
It can be weird yet liberating, and immersive yet euphoric. But it isn’t imposing, which makes it quite possibly the coolest thing ever. Individually you can tune into one of the multiple channels – with specially curated playlists of yesteryear. This may be the answer to the question: What does dementia sound like?Register Now
Film Screenings
Film: The Enabling Festival SHORTS 2019 (PG)
7 Sept 2019: 10.00am – 10.30am
8 Sept 2019: 11.30am – 12.00pm
The Enabling Festival SHORTS is a special film curation of 5 short films from Singapore and Hong Kong. Each of these films focus on issues surrounding dementia in our society and explores the wonderful humanity and love in life. At the same time, reminding us to not forget to laugh.Register Now
Film: Recipe (回味) PG (Mandarin with English Subtitles)
7 Sept 2019: 10.30am – 11.30am
Commissioned by the Health Promotion Board and shot by acclaimed local director Eric Khoo, Recipe brings out the real and poignant social issues related to dementia. Zoe Tay played the role of Qiu Yun, whose life takes on a new meaning when her mother is diagnosed with the disease.
Register Now
Film: A Fish Out of Water (上岸的鱼) PG (Mandarin with English Subtitles)
7 Sept 2019: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
A taiwanese feature film by 賴國安, will premiere in Singapore at The Enabling Festival 2019. A Fish Out of Water revolves around a family with an unusual child who claims to have memories of his former life. It focuses on how people cope with dementia, the meaning of family and the value of memories.
Register Now
Film: Sandcastle（沙城）NC16 (English)
8 Sept 2019: 10.00am – 11.30am
Sandcastle, a feature film by Singaporean director Boo Junfeng, is about a teenager who is about to join the army learns about his Father’s past as a student activist in Singapore, his grandmother’s worsening Alzheimer’s disease, along with other hidden family secrets.Register Now
Designathon
We Remember
Designathon 2018
Empowering individuals from all walks of life to come together to design for dementia. Designathon We Remember 2018 is organised by OneMaker Group and Project We Forgot. This initiative is supported by the Our SG Fund and DesignSingapore Council and hosted at National Design Centre.
Designathon
We Remember
Designathon 2018
Empowering individuals from all walks of life to come together to design for dementia. Designathon We Remember 2018 is organised by OneMaker Group and Project We Forgot. This initiative is supported by the Our SG Fund and DesignSingapore Council and hosted at National Design Centre.
Enabling Festival 2018
Celebrating the success of the Enabling Festival 2018!
Featured Art
Zoe
110 cm x 90 cm,
Framed Acrylic painting with resin, modelling clay and UV varnish
Singaporean visual artist Danny Raven Tan, co-founder of The Tiffin Gallery, known for his powerful Abstract and Expressionistic styled paintings, lend his support to the Enabling Festival with his acrylic portrait of the Queen of Mediacorp, Zoe Tay. The actress has also pledged her support to the festival by signing the artwork to raise funds for the dementia community.
Contact: [email protected]
Campaign Video
What does dementia sound like?
A consolidated creative effort of many like-minded individuals, family caregivers and person living with dementia, in hope to lend a louder voice for the dementia community in Singapore and across Asia. Enable Asia would like to thank in order of appearance – Anita Kapoor, Kate Pang, Catherine Sng, Clarence Lee, Adrian Pang, Peter Yu, Marcus Mok, Rachel Chua, Loretta Chen, Elaine Friedlander, Sam Driscoll, Dexter Ng, Sharda Harrison, Daniel Lim, Danny Raven Tan, Vincent Yong, Vi Vi Yeh, Sara Wee, Candyce Toh, Eugene Soh, Tan Quee Eng, Peter Lim Sun Hoe and the wonderful creative content partners from SPROUD.
Like-minded folks
Enable Asia does not believe in labels and status. Our mission is clear and simple. These like-minded folks have rendered us their kindest support and guidance towards realising our vision and for being so generous with their time and effort and more importantly, to help us build a community of enablers. Celebrity or not, you are our ROCKSTAR!
For more videos, visit our YouTube Channel. Thank You.
HOST VENUE:
Special thanks to:
