Report on the results of a questionnaire survey for specialists of the Japanese Society for Dementia regarding the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on dementia care

Yoshiki Niimi¹⁾, Tetsuaki Arai²⁾, Shuichi Awata³⁾, Sadao Katayama⁴⁾, Hidekazu Tomimoto⁵⁾, Takashi Togo⁶⁾, Aki Nakanishi⁷⁾, Haruo Hanyu⁸⁾, Toshiya Fukui⁹⁾, Naoki Fujimoto¹⁰⁾, Masahito Yamada¹¹⁾, Hiroshi Mori¹²⁾, Akiyama Haruhiko¹³⁾

¹⁾Department of Neurology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine
²⁾Department of Psychiatry, University of Tsukuba
³⁾Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology
⁴⁾Katayama Medical Clinic
⁵⁾Department of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine
⁶⁾Inaho Clinic
⁷⁾Osaka City Kosaiin Hospital
⁸⁾Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tokyo Medical University
⁹⁾Kawasaki Memorial Hospital
¹⁰⁾Fujimoto Clinic
¹¹⁾Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences
¹²⁾Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Osaka City University Medical School
¹³⁾Yokohama Brain and Spine Center

We conducted the survey on dementia specialists of the Japan Society for Dementia Research (N=1,586 about the effects of the COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 on various aspects such as medical care and long-term care for dementia.The response rate was 22.5% N=357.As for the patients with dementia PWD and their carers, the answer revealed many issues such as cancellation or hesitation of routine medical care and long term care, discontinuation or reduction of long term care services and informal services, and aggravate of symptoms of PWD including cognitive decline, exacerbation of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.In the post-corona era, we should improve the way of delivering each service considering the burden for PWD, carer, and care providers.

Address corresponderce to Dr. Yoshiki Niimi, Department of Neurology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine (1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan)