Construction of depopulated area model of communication about dementia care

In Japan there are remote villages, mountainous areas and islands where the population includes people who are extremely old. Owing to the remoteness of these places, there are very few long-term care insurance services and medical institutions meaning that the residents often have no choice but to support each other. This situation is particularly problematic for people with dementia. Caring for dementia patients requires specialised knowledge which is often beyond the residents of depopulated areas in Japan. It is with this in mind that Associate Professor Mio Ito has joined forces with Dr Chiho Shimada and Dr Ryo Hirayama to improve care and communication for persons with dementia in depopulated areas.