Karamay People’s Hospital has launched a campaign to encourage elderly residents to use the hospital’s screening service for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

The hospital is offering free of charge screenings to 20 lucky people as part of the campaign. Eligible individuals must be over 65-years-old and accompanied by a family member.

Participants of the screening program will receive a digital bracelet, which records the wearer’s basic personal information. The bracelet is used world-wide as a practical item of identification for AD patients.

Yang Yali, director of the hospital’s department of clinical psychology, is keen to introduce locals to basic information related to the disease. She strongly believes that there are a host of advantages for elderly individuals to receive advanced screening.

“Screening aids early diagnosis and allows medical professionals to offer useful guidance and solutions. This helps people to enjoy a happier and healthier old age.”

Around 36.5 million people live with AD in the world today. AD is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that typically starts slowly and deteriorates over time. As the disease advances, symptoms can include short-term memory loss, problems with language, disorientation, mood swings, loss of motivation, and other behavior issues.

These yellow bracelets are for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's and electronically store a person's basic information. [Photo/Xinhua]