95-Year-Old Leads Kaohsiung Dementia Sports Meet in International Dementia Month Initiative

A 95-year-old woman led the athletes’ oath at a Kaohsiung sports meet designed to combine physical activity with cognitive training for people with dementia.

The “Xiong Hao Yi Physical and Cognitive Sports Meet” drew more than 500 older people with dementia, family members and staff to the Fengshan Sports Park gymnasium. Kaohsiung’s Department of Health organized the event with 14 dementia care centers and 22 community sites to mark September’s International Dementia Month.

A total of 208 people with dementia participated, including seven aged over 90. The 95-year-old participant, known as Grandma Qiu, received sustained applause when she appeared as the athletes’ oath representative. Organizers mobilized 208 staff members to accompany participants and support their safety.

The activities integrated cognitive exercises into warm-ups and competitions. Participants matched picture cards, maneuvered balls through an S-shaped course and took part in a six-event physical and cognitive challenge. They stacked paper cups into designated shapes and linked numbers with familiar images, such as associating 85 with Kaohsiung’s 85 Sky Tower.

The event also introduced support for families and dementia care services. These included police fingerprint registration, safety bracelets and personal satellite locators to help prevent people from going missing, as well as smart tracking insoles. Organizers said the games demonstrated the results of dementia care services and could help slow the progression of the condition.