Medical Care for Dementia in Japan─Roles of Primary Care Physicians and Mental Hospitals

Kiyoshi Maeda¹⁾, Toomi Ozaki¹⁾, Yasuji Yamamoto²⁾

¹⁾Kobegakuin University School of Comprehensive Rehabilitation
²⁾Department of Psychiatry, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine

    We carried out two studies.  In one study (study 1), we investigated the attitude of primary care physicians (PCPs) toward medical care for dementia.  In the other study (study 2), dementia care was surveyed in dementia care wards of mental hospitals.
    In the study 1, PCPs in Japan were very much interested in medical care for dementia, although the PCPs in this study referred their patients to the dementia center.  They needed support of specialists for dementia and of mental hospitals when dementia patients exhibited problematic symptoms, such as violent behaviors and restlessness.
    In the study 2, the average stay period was over 1 year in the wards in more than 60% of patients.  The reasons why those patients have to stay in the wards so long were because of their behavioral and psychotic symptoms of dementia (BPSD).  It was also very difficult to find care facilities to stay for those patients.

Address correspondence to Kiyoshi Maeda, Kobegakuin University School of Comprehensive Rehabilitation (518 Arise, Ikawadani-cho, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2180, Japan)