POLEPOLE May, 2008
1. NEWS AND INFORMATION
Three daycare centers for Alzheimer’s patients opened in India in May with government subsidies.
The ADI made an estimate based on a survey that there are a million Alzheimer’s patients throughout India.
(The Telegraph March, 2008)
2. AAJ HEADQUARTERS UPDATE
*The 29th Annual General Meeting is coming up next month
*AAJ made a proposal for quick accreditation of new drugs for dementia to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
3.PROFESSIONAL’S COMMENT BY DR. Toshio Mori
The New Age of dementia care
Long-term care insurance has been in place since 2000 without the provision for daily care for a person with dementia. The lack of this provision shows that professionals and policy makers have not understood the difficulties of living with dementia. Dementia care has not been adequately established yet and it should be clearly distinguished from the care for the people with physical disabilities only. It is most important to listen to the problems of people with dementia and deliver their voices to policy makers.
4. LETTERS FROM MEMBERS
*The lack of understanding of dementia care among medical professionals
My mother broke her leg and entered the hospital. Under medical law family members are not permitted to stay in the hospital to be with their relatives. In addition, the medical staff treated her like a two-year-old child. She was very upset in unfamiliar circumstances and given several drugs. After three weeks she was discharged from the hospital in bed-ridden condition.
5. MESSAGE FROM PWD
* My Life with dementia
1) Easily lose direction and it is hard to go to a new place
2) Heavy head and Inactive
3) Too sensitive and get tired with various types of sounds
4) Lost time of sense
5) Always worrying about locking the door
6. PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Murder cases and double suicides related to dementia care which were too great a burden for the carers have been happening continuously. Every time I hear those stories I feel so sad and get angry with the poor welfare policies of Japan. AAJ is making efforts to change the welfare policies but it is difficult to realize it today or tomorrow. So ｗe have to support PWD and their carers by ourselves under such poor social service conditions. To share the burden and encourage each other are effective ways to overcome those difficulties. Male carers tend to be isolated from neighbors and others because of taking care of their family members.
AAJ has started male carers’ meetings at several chapters. They can voice their complaints, discuss the issues, and laugh. And after the meeting they drink together at a bar. I am sure that the time they share will energize their lives.
TAKE HEART AND TAKE CARE TILL NEXT MONTH!
