ABSTRACT
In Japan, where the number of people with dementia is estimated to have reached 1.7 million in 2005 (out of a population of 127.7 million), dementia is no longer a “somebody else’s business” but a big challenge for the whole nation. A person with dementia was once considered to be “someone who lost the ability to recognize anyone or anything,” or “someone who did one strange thing after another,” and was the target of social prejudice. There have been, however, more and more cases in which the patients themselves participate in symposiums or other events to talk about their own painful experiences and express their desire to stay involved in society in whatever way they can. Studies have shown that the peripheral symptoms of dementia are greatly affected by the attitudes of the surrounding people. This has contributed to a growing recognition in Japan that the society should not leave the care of people with dementia to only medical staff or welfare service providers. It is now considered crucial that residents have a proper understanding of dementia, and can support people with this condition in the community in which they live. Taking these social circumstances into account, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, together with organizations concerned with dementia, launched a ten-year nationwide public campaign in 2005. It is called the “Campaign to Understand Dementia and Build Community Networks.” The campaign has been promoted by an organization called “100-Member Committee to Create Safe and Comfortable Communities for People with Dementia” (in short, 100-Member Committee), consisting of about 100 organizations and individuals, with Tsutomu Hotta, CEO of Sawayaka Welfare Foundation, serving as its chairman. The committee membership includes: 1) intellectuals who are national opinion leaders; 2) enterprises and organizations deeply rooted in the community life including national trade organizations of banks and convenience stores; and 3) health, medical care and welfare institutions with a national network. In their fields they actively support people with dementia and their families, upholding the campaign programs.
