Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, second from right, speaks during a Cabinet ministers meeting about measures to deal with dementia on Tuesday. (Image Credit: Jiji Press via The Japan News)

Shinzo Abe: New Plans to fight dementia

Faradita Prayusti
Politics & Economic
Politics
Jun 19, 2019
2238
On Tuesday, the Japanese government adopted new strategies to take care of dementia in the country. As the number of dementia patients in Japan is increasing, the government intends to create a comfortable society for sufferers where they can live with hope.

The new strategies are the continuation of Japan’s comprehensive plan of measures to handle dementia, the “Orange Plan”, in 2015. By using two key ideas “coexistence” and “prevention”, the new plans would be implemented until 2025.

The “coexistence” means to help dementia sufferers live normally in their society, the government will improve transportation services to be more accessible for elderly people. Helps from volunteer and supporters who understand well about dementia are also needed. Therefore the Shinzo Abe administrations are going to foster them to watch over sufferers.

A new driver’s license system for the elderly is also being considered by the government and the National Police Agency. To ensure their safety, later the elderly people are only allowed to drive vehicles which equipped with high technologies.

While for the “prevention”, the government is going to facilitate public spaces for elderly communities where they could gather and interact with each other, without feeling being isolated. Active participation in society is effective to prevent the disease.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe demanded cooperation from all government bureaus to quickly implement the adopted strategies.

The number of dementia sufferers in Japan is predicted to increase up to 7 million in 2025, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Source: http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005818672

Japan , Shinzo , Abe , Dementia , Health