EDITORIAL | Dementia Plan's Success is Hinged on Local Communities

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Japan's Cabinet decided to adopt a basic plan on the problem of dementia. According to the government, the plan is intended to serve as a guide for future measures to deal with the widespread problem.

As the decision noted, "Anyone can develop dementia." The plan calls for respect for the wishes of people with dementia and lists 12 policies that should be promoted. They include ensuring opportunities for social participation and support for decision-making.

Now is the time to put words into action. Even if ideals are established, if the measures to realize them are insufficient, it will be no better than pie in the sky. Efforts now must focus on creating services and local communities that embody these ideals.

A facility employee (far left) plays the role of a lost elderly man during a mock training exercise to watch over elderly people with dementia in Yamatokoriyama City, Nara Prefecture, on November 16, 2023. (©Sankei)

Community-based Approach

Dementia symptoms vary from person to person. However, it is important to make an effort to firmly grasp the person's wishes. The wishes of the individual suffering from dementia may also differ from those of his or her family. Local government officials need to engage in sympathetic dialogue with people with dementia themselves.

Prefectures and municipalities will now be required to create promotion plans based on the basic plan. Ideally, everyone will come to understand the issues and problems faced by people with dementia and work seriously with local care providers, NPOs, companies, volunteer groups, and others to come up with solutions.

Progress may vary by region. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will need to support local governments. The national goal is that people with dementia can live with hope while remaining connected to their surroundings. That means living in the places they are familiar with, no matter where they reside in Japan.

Growing Number of Sufferers

The number of elderly individuals suffering from dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) — which is considered a precursor to dementia — is expected to increase. There were roughly 10 million victims in 2022. However, that is expected to rise to approximately 12 million in 2040. In other words, one in every three elderly people in Japan would likely develop dementia.

Public services such as nursing care insurance alone will not prove sufficient. There is an urgent need to create barrier-free communities where people with dementia and their families can live without worry.

Some local governments have already begun holding "personal meetings" where people with dementia can talk about their individual experiences and needs. This approach will likely encourage some of these individuals to express their thoughts.

Participating in Society

It is important to listen to the voices of those directly involved and create places where they feel they belong, as well as opportunities for them to participate actively in society.

Some care providers are listening to the wishes of their loved ones. For example, some are creating opportunities for them to help prepare vegetables for use at local restaurants. Others are reading to them at daycare centers. Such initiatives should result in a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment.

By broadening the scope of such efforts and creating a variety of opportunities where people with dementia can participate in daily activities as a matter of course, we can increase understanding among those around them. Ideally, the result should make Japanese communities highly livable for all.