Speaker:
Ms. Angelina Luk (Solicitor, Notary Public), Dr Vincent Tse (Ex-Chairman, Society for Life & Death Education)
Introduction:
Studies have shown that overall prevalence rate of dementia among Hong Kong elders aged 70 and above is nearly 10%. People aged 85 or over, suffering from dementia, represents nearly one-third of the age group. There is no cure for dementia currently, and patient will suffer from memory loss, impairments in understanding and language and loss of self-care. Receiving the diagnosis of dementia is never easy and it would mean a shocking and life changing news to the patient as well as the family. The patient and her close ones in the first part of the movie experience a range of emotions— fear, despair, sadness and worries. The movie provides information on dementia and what changes dementia will bring about to patient’s life during the course of illness progression. It allows the patient and family, with understanding and acknowledgement to the will of the patient, to plan ahead together. The second part of the video introduces the “Three Instruments of Peace “, which comprises (1) the Will, (2) Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) and (3) Advance Directive (AD). When a person is still ‘mentally capable’, he/she can state in advance to/by whom his/her assets should be distributed after the person passed away; appoint and instruct a most entrusted person to use his/her money when that person has become mentally incapable; and express his/her will on treatments at end-of–life stage.
