Abstract
Objective: To explore perceptions of the elderly regarding dementia and its prevention, with the goal of helping the elderly engage in dementia preventive activities.
Methods: In June 2009, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six elderly women without dementia (mean age 87.5 years) who required daytime nursing care services in Kanagawa prefecture in Japan. participants' perceptions of dementia and its prevention were probed with questions such as “What is your image of dementia?”, “What do you think helps prevent dementia?”, and “What are you doing to prevent dementia?”.
Results: This qualitaive analysis has generated two broad categories regarding perceptions of dementia: anxiety about developing dementia, and perceptions or knowledge of dementia. Five dominant factors influencing perceptions of dementia were: the experience of memory difficulties, other health-related anxieties, contact with daytime nursing care services, caring for parents with dementia, and depictions of dementia in mass media. Also, this analysis categorized perceptions of dementia prevention as involving subjective protective or risk factors. Three dominant factors influenced participants' acting to prevent dementia: perception of the importance of preventing dementia, opportunities for action, and motivating factors for action.
Conclusions: This research explored participants' perceptions of dementia and its prevention, elucidating factors which influenced their concerns regarding dementia, their desire to take preventive action, and their acting on such desires. These results suggest opportunities for improving the care of participants at risk for dementia.
