Dementia—clinical multiplicity and appropriate treatment and care

Abstract

The prevalence of dementia among elderly people aged 65 years or older in Japan, has been estimated as 15% in 2012. With the substantial aging of the population in Japan, number of the people of dementia estimated to be 20% in 2025. Issues on dementia have become not only the medicine but also social problems. A national strategy on dementia (aka, new orange plan) is devised for creating a kind community for people with dementia and their family caregivers.

Dementia is defined by a loss of cognitive ability severe enough to interfere with normal activities of daily living. Several behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) could be seen in people with dementia. Then, timely and precious diagnosis of dementia would lead to treatment or care for reduction of symptoms of people with dementia as well as of care burden of their family. In this report, after explanation of cognitive symptoms and BPSD in each dementia disorders, important points of treatment and care for dementia are described.