Basic Plan for Dementia: Create A More Comfortable Society for Living Together with Patients

Editorial

15:28 JST, September 12, 2024

The aging population has now reached a stage where no one is unaffected by dementia. It is hoped that efforts will be made to realize a society in which people can live comfortably even if they develop dementia.

The government has compiled a basic plan to promote measures for dementia. This will be the basis for measures to be implemented over the next five years. Based on this plan, local governments will implement specific support measures according to their circumstances.

The basic plan is characterized by its new view of dementia, which states that “even if people have dementia, there will be things they can do and want to do, and they will be able to live the way they like with hope in a familiar community.”

People with dementia and their families participated in the discussions to formulate the plan. The plan reflects the opinions of people with dementia, who want to create a positive image, turning away from the negative one that such people do not understand anything.

It is probably true that in today’s society, the will of people with dementia is not respected and they tend to be isolated. It is hoped that the situation will be improved.

The number of elderly people with dementia was estimated to be 4.43 million in 2022. Including people with mild cognitive impairment, which is considered to be a preliminary stage of dementia, the figure was estimated to exceed 10 million. Dementia can no longer be called someone else’s problem.

The plan also calls for establishing means of transportation that allow patients to safely go out, and for securing opportunities to participate in society.

If an environment is created in which people with dementia can live without strain, it should become one in which everyone will live more comfortably.

Some local governments are already utilizing the voices of such people in their community development.

Post offices in the city of Gobo, Wakayama Prefecture, have drawn a large red postal mark on a prominent place on their buildings. This is because, some people with dementia failed to notice just conventional signboards and thus could not find the post offices.

People with dementia tend to have a narrower field of vision and may sometimes have difficulty noticing various information displayed around town.

In addition, in order for people with dementia to continue to stay connected to society, it is essential to create comfortable places for them.

If there are places where such people can work without strain, it will help prevent them from becoming isolated. It is hoped that local governments will increase the number of options for places they can work, through such means as utilizing employment support offices for people with disabilities.

Many people with early-onset dementia, which develops under the age of 65, are forced to retire from their jobs despite still being of working age. The impact on family members who depend on them for their livelihoods is serious.

Companies, on their part, must deepen their understanding of dementia. They should give consideration to patients so that they can continue to work for as long as possible by finding out what they can do.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 12, 2024)