My first encounters with individuals with dementia as a young psychiatric nurse taught me valuable lessons. Through caring for patients with dementia, I learned that it is possible to communicate without using words and that a nurse’s (or caregiver’s) interventions can alleviate or even prevent problematic behaviors in individuals with dementia. In 2007, I was introduced to Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) through a publication by the International Psychogeriatric Association. This knowledge complemented and strengthened my experiential understanding as a nurse. My research demonstrates that psychiatric nursing interventions are effective when they take the core symptoms of dementia into account and focus on psychological and environmental factors.

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This study examines decision-making support for older adults living in the community by analyzing their case studies. While hospitals typically follow clear protocols, community-based support requires a more flexible and comprehensive approach due to the diverse nature of daily living activities. Establishing rapport and demonstrating professional empathy are crucial in facilitating effective decision-making. Timely interventions, such as implementing the adult guardianship system, are also essential. Additionally, fostering understanding and cooperation from community members and developing a supportive environment are vital. Ultimately, decision-making support for community-living older adults must prioritize individual preferences, sustaining relationships, and promoting collaboration within the community.

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I have been a clinical psychologist for 16 years and have accumulated clinical experience spanning diverse settings, including prisons, correctional facilities, general hospitals with no psychiatry departments, and orthopedic hospitals. In these roles, I have encountered moments of helplessness and personal challenges. However, upon reflection, I realize these experiences have provided valuable professional and personal insights and learning opportunities. In this article, I first outline the professional field and role of clinical psychologists and then explore critical case studies that have shaped my career development. Lastly, I discuss how professional identity evolves alongside career growth and reflect on the broader implications for the career development of clinical psychologists.

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Studies have not compared the professional growth of different human service professions in geriatric care. During the symposium organized by the 25th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Geriatric and Gerontological Behavioral Sciences, three panelists representing geriatric nursing, social work, and clinical psychology shared insights gained from their care cases. This paper summarizes the symposium discussions, focusing on themes such as “Discovering working theories and ideas through practical experience,” “Recognizing foundational and structural challenges,” “Fostering career development across the lifespan,” and “Motivations for continuing professional practice.” The discussion highlights several key topics: the importance of linking practical knowledge to theoretical frameworks, the process of understanding clients’ experiences, the shared joy derived from improving clients’ well-being—a critical reward for all human service professionals—and the role of mutual support in promoting professional growth while reducing mental strain. Additionally, the paper presents a new model that examines clients’ experiences from a macro perspective. The discussion concludes by focusing on “Mutual peer support for professional growth to prevent burnout.”

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“Frailty,” which refers to the borderline between health and the need for nursing care, is a critical concept in super-aging societies. It includes physical, cognitive, mental, and social aspects; therefore, a harmonized mind-body perspective is important. We assumed that the sense of harmony between body and mind, and psychosocial factors are associated with frailty and psychological aspects in young old. We surveyed by the internet up to 500 young old (250 men and 250 women). The results showed that higher senses of subjective health and harmony between body and mind are associated with lower frailty than psychosocial factors. Moreover, compared to psychosocial factors, we confirmed that a higher sense of harmony between body and mind is associated with lower negative emotions, higher ikigai, and higher internal locus of control. These findings suggest that the sense of harmony between body and mind is a critical concept for understanding frailty and psychological well-being in young old.

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In the future, it will be crucial to identify factors that hinder individuals from accessing adequate resources because of the recent government policy promoting home support in collaboration with various social services. This study was conducted to clarify the characteristics of social resources used by people with dementia living alone at home. We conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey with 1,799 in-home long-term care providers in ordinance-designated cities in western Japan, excluding Osaka City. All the respondents were care support specialists with experience in managing the care of people with dementia living alone. We asked the respondents to describe a case in which a person with dementia living alone could no longer live alone at home. They also identified the social resources they used in the past. We analyzed 520 questionnaires with no missing data from the 584 questionnaires we collected. The cases were classified into five clusters based on the social resources used. The results indicated significant differences between the clusters in terms of gender and the duration of support. Moreover, approximately 15% of the individuals had the shortest support duration and limited access to social resources.

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This study investigated the effect of wearing smartwatches on behavior modification in older adults who had noticed a decline in activity levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants wore smartwatches for six months, during which we monitored their daily activities, including their standing movements and step counts, once every two weeks for six months. Then, we graphed and analyzed these data. Results indicated that nine participants could modify their behavior and become more active, whereas one participant overreported the activities. These findings suggest that older adults can improve their activity levels through increased social interactions and self-monitoring using smartwatches. We recommend using this approach to help identify individuals at high risk of developing nursing care dependence.

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We have developed a short-term program designed to enhance the understanding of dementia. The program combined a dementia supporter training course with a one-day online tour of multiple dementia care facilities. The tour allowed participants to observe real-life situations involving people with dementia and interact with them. This pilot study examined the program’s effects on participants’ impressions, attitudes toward dementia and people with dementia, and their knowledge of dementia. College students (N = 6) , none of whom had taken specialized classes on dementia, participated in the study. The results indicated that the participants’ feelings about dementia became more realistic, and their impressions of dementia significantly improved after the program. Their attitudes toward people with dementia also showed a trend toward improvement. Before the program, participants expressed anxiety about developing dementia in the future and identified possible symptoms of dementia during an open-ended question and group interview. After the program, their perspectives on dementia became more realistic, diverse, and flexible. However, their knowledge of dementia did not significantly improve between the pre- and post-program assessments. These findings suggest that the program contributes to positive changes in impressions and attitudes toward people with dementia. We conclude that further research using a control group, and a larger sample size is needed.

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