According to the Cabinet Office, by 2025, one in five people over age 65 is expected to have dementia. Anyone can be a dementia patient or a caregiver at any time. It is important to deepen our understanding and think about tips on how we can better deal with the disease.
Dementia – Not My Problem?
Dementia Quiz: test your knowledge and support the community
*Only available from PCs and smartphones.
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GOYOH, Inc. is a lead partner of Giving December.
For each perfect score achieved in the quiz, a donation of 10 yen will be made to Alzheimer’s Association Japan. Feel free to take the quiz as many times as necessary until you answer all questions correctly. Thank you for taking the time to support this important cause.
Dementia in Family and Close Friends
Dementia is a very common disease. If a family member or someone close to you suffers from dementia, it is important to treat them with as much comfort as possible, respect them as ” the person they are,” and watch over them even if it takes time for them to do things on their own. However, there may be times when dealing with some of the symptoms such as forgetfulness or the inability to do things they used to be able to do become mentally taxing. It is important to reduce your load in supporting the patient in order to care for your own health.
Ways to reduce load in supporting dementia patient
- Have time outside of caregiving for hobbies and other activities that you value
- Expand network for helpful information
- Understand and support the patient’s capacity to take care of themselves
- Build a support network of trusted institutions, people, and organizations you can reach out to any time
- Be proactive in using outside services
Support as a Community Member
One of the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia patients is wandering. Even if no one close to you is affected by dementia, deepening the knowledge as a member of the local community and providing support to prevent accidents and disappearances during wandering are very important actions that can save the lives.
Possible signs of wandering
- Walking in the rain without an umbrella
- Walking in room sandals, barefoot or in a mismatching pair of shoes
- Wearing clothes that do not match the weather
- Walking during an unusual time for a walk
- Appearing to be lost i.e. looking around at an intersection
- Going in circles in the same area
etc.
If you find someone wandering
- Speak to them in a friendly manner from the front so as not to startle or alarm them, and sympathize with their feelings by listening carefully to the purpose of the behavior and their thoughts and feelings.
- If the person cannot remember their names or addresses, check for contact information, contact their family or the police station to ensure safety.
Understanding Dementia
Symptoms of dementia can be divided into two categories: core symptoms and behavioral/psychological symptoms. Core symptoms are those that occur directly as a result of the death of nerve cells in the brain, and include memory impairment, disorientation, and impaired comprehension and judgment. Behavioral and psychological symptoms, on the other hand, stem from a combination of various factors, including the patient’s personality, environment, and relationships with others, resulting in anxiety, agitation, hallucinations, and depression, as well as the resulting wandering.
Dementia Prevention
Anyone is susceptible to dementia, but Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular dementia are strongly associated with lifestyle-related illnesses. It is believed that a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and seafood, a regular exercise routine to reduce stress, and a thinking-active lifestyle can help prevent dementia.
As a patient, a family member, and a member of the local community, let’s deepen proper understanding to cope well with dementia and create a supportive community.
