SINGAPORE - Singaporean singer-songwriter Dick Lee will be the face of an Alzheimer's disease awareness campaign this year.

The Alzheimer's Disease Association (ADA) named him as its ambassador at an event to commemorate its 25th anniversary at Turf City on Tuesday.

He will star in a short film called Smell A Memory, to be released on social media platforms in conjunction with World Alzheimer's Day on Sept 21.

The Cultural Medallion recipient, 60, who wrote the popular National Day song, Home, has personal experience with dementia - he cares for his father who suffers from the disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a common type of dementia, which results in a gradual loss of memory and thinking ability.

ADA aims to raise awareness of the struggles that those living with dementia face. This year, the association will be organising conversations, focus groups and symposiums to discuss how families coping with dementia can still enjoy a reasonable quality of life.

An estimated 30,000 people in Singapore live with dementia. The number is projected to rise to 53,000 by 2020.