WANG, 73, goes about her day like any other person. She starts by making coffee at a cafe, resembling a skilled barista. Next, she heads to a grocery store to buy her daily necessities. Wang then waits at a bus stop, prepared to return home.

In fact, the old woman suffers from a severe cognitive impairment that affects her memory. She can’t recall her children’s names, frequently loses track of time, and fails to recognize that the people she interacts with, including cafe customers and shop assistants, are fellow residents in a rehabilitation facility.

Located in Tianjin, North China, the Hetong Cognitive Rehabilitation Center has created realistic environments such as a restaurant, cafe, cinema, grocery store, and bus stop. These settings engage seniors like Wang in social activities and encourage them to lead lives similar to other citizens. Role-playing has become a crucial part of the rehabilitation therapy offered to elders with cognitive disorders.

Chai Dingfang, a social worker at the center, explains that these role-playing activities assist seniors in regaining their sense of identity through social interactions. It also helps slow down cognitive decline while improving physical and mental well-being. She gives an example of how the unfamiliar environment can trigger a desire in newcomers to return home. In such cases, she guides them to the “bus stop,” where the sight of a familiar bus route calms their anxiety, and they wait patiently until nurses come to assist them.

Within the restaurant, which is open to the public, “waiters” move around elderly-friendly tables placed on non-slip mats. One of the waiters, Chen, aged 63 and diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), continues to make mistakes despite her prior participation in the exercises. Her handwriting on orders is illegible, and she struggles to remember the table numbers. Although Chen fails to recognize her own daughter Hao Shuang in the customers, Hao is patient as she receives her mother’s service.

Hao expresses her relief and gratitude for the positive impact role-playing has had on her family.

“I’m pleased to see her calmness has been restored in this new job. She used to be grumpy, stuck at home and unable to take care of herself,” Hao said.

Watching her mother bring hot dishes to the table revives cherished memories of Hao’s childhood and offers solace.

A report from the China National Committee on Aging highlights that over 15 million Chinese citizens aged 60 and above currently suffer from cognitive impairments. This figure is projected to increase to 22.2 million by 2030.

Public awareness is on the rise, which is encouraging. The Tianjin center reported an increasing number of volunteers, including college students, who engage in mealtime conversations with patients, creating a warm and loving atmosphere for them. Chai emphasized that everyone is making an effort to be kind to the “waiters” and make them feel immersed in this environment.

In June, the National Health Commission announced a nationwide campaign from 2023 to 2025 aimed at promoting Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment. The campaign focuses on raising public awareness about the disease and guiding the elderly population in prioritizing brain health.

Fang Jiake, chairman of the Hetong Public Welfare Pension Group, which operates the rehabilitation facility, stressed the importance of providing humanistic care, especially in the absence of effective medical treatments for cognitive disorders.

“We hope these kinds of activities help elderly patients rediscover their sense of value and live with dignity,” Fang said.

Chai further mentioned that an increasing number of patients willingly engage in role-playing rehabilitation therapy at the center, opening their hearts and conversing with care workers.

Chai also takes written or video records of the daily lives of elderly patients and shares updates with their families. “I want to preserve these precious memories before they fade away from their minds,” she said.

(Xinhua)