POLEPOLE March, 2012
-Here is brief summary of issues dealt with in the AAJ March Newsletter-
1. NEWS AND INFORMATION
“Battle against dementia” (Orange ville.com 16th January , 2012)
“US wants effective Alzheimer’s treatment by 2025” (CBS 17th January, 2012)
2. AAJ HEADQUARTERS UPDATE
*Delegation to ADI Asian Pacific Conference in Bangkok
*AAJ reports the result of the survey of the difficulties and relief of carers.
556 carers answered the questionnaires. 74.2% of them were female and 39.4% were in their
60s. 85% of persons whom they are taking care of are in their 80s and 28% are in a serious stage of
dementia. The result shows further need of carers’ support.
3. COMMENT
“The revision of Long Term Care Insurance in 2012 ”
By T. Katsuda, Vice President of AAJ
4. PROFESSIONAL’S COMMENT
“Frontotemporal Dementia”
By Dr. Manabu Ikeda
5. LETTERS FROM MEMBERS
*Need of special day care center
I suggest the establishment of special day care centers for people with behavioral and psychological disorders. They should have gymnasiums or sports grounds where they can give through physical activity. I think such day care centers will enable a lot of people with dementia to be discharged from mental hospitals.
* My husband’s mother could extend her life for two years by gastric fistula so that my husband could take care of her after his retirement. He cherished the time with her and he died two weeks after her death. Although we decided to give her gastric fistula without her consent because she was unconscious, I have no regrets about it. (64-year-old woman)
6. CARE EXPERIENCE
“Just for her smile”
By I. Matsuki
7. TWO HEADS BETTER THAN ONE
Question
“What is the key to diaper change for the opposite sex?”
8. What happened and what will happen in disaster areas
By Y. Uchide, Director of AAJ, Iwate branch
9. ACTIVITIES OF THE CHAPTERS FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH
Nagano branch: Lecture meeting on medicine for dementia
Miyagi branch: Survey on carers’ physical/mental condition
Yamagata branch: Certificate course for guardians
Kumamoto branch: The first male carers meeting
10. ESSAY
“The boundary between a fantasy and a reality”
By J. Abo
11. GLOBAL FAMILY
By A. Sakai
From Singapore: “Mr. Chua Eng Chiang’s care experience”
12. MESSAGE FROM PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA
“ To my son”
By Mr. S
Mr. S ‘s son won the first prize for his poem about him. He said happily,
“I did not expect that my son won the prize. The words of his poem are very thoughtful.
I hope he will not suffer from the disease like me.”
13. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
By K. Tamaki, President of AAJ
Take heart and take care till next month
