2018 Volume 35 Issue 2 Pages 92-95
Among various neurological diseases for which the neurology contributes to deal with, dementia and other age–related diseases are giving increasingly strong impacts on the persons with the diseases and the society along with the aging of the society in Japan.
In order to provide the necessary medical and long–term care for the patients with those diseases, the national and local governments have established the policies and introduced the framework for them including the long–term care insurance in 2000.
By 2025 when the baby boomers become age 75 and above, a structure called ‘the Community–based Integrated Care System’ will be expanded so that comprehensive provision of health care, nursing care, prevention, housing, and livelihood support are promoted. Through this system, the elderly and other people could live their lives in their own ways in environments familiar to them, even if they become heavily in need for long–term care.
The progression status varies place to place ; large cities with stable total population and rapidly growing population of over 75, and towns and villages with decrease of total population but gradual increase of population over 75.
As the number of elderly people with dementia is estimated to increase, expansion of the Community–based Integrated Care System is important to support community life of the elderly with dementia. The national government established Comprehensive Strategy to Accelerate Dementia Measures (New Orange Plan) for the further support in 2015.
It is necessary for all of medical and long–term care providers including the specialists of neurology to participate in the movement to reinforce the network which is the most important part of the system.
