Harbin Daily Press Group will create a database and platform to provide help for people who have become vulnerable due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It hopes to deal with the increasing problem of AD sufferers getting lost due to the disorientation caused by the disease. 

Harbin Daily also announced that it will provide free treatment at the city’s No 1 Hospital on Sept 21 for people with AD.

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events (short-term memory loss).

As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems with language, disorientation, and behavioral issues.

Many Harbin residents have called for the establishment of a system to help patients with AD, because the number of AD sufferers is increasing year-on-year.

Thanks to the new system, the information of people who become lost will be published in the Harbin Daily as well as on its WeChat account and official micro blog. It is hoped that the large readership of the newspaper will increase the chances of an AD sufferer being found if they get lost.

Meanwhile, a special volunteering service has been established to provide professional consultation services.

According to data, there are between 90,000 to 160,000 people who suffer from AD in Harbin, but less than 10 percent of these people choose to go to hospital for treatment.

By 2030, the number of AD patients in Harbin is expected to double.