Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) has made continuous efforts with the view that dementia is a key item on the policy agenda in a super-aging society. With a particularly deep commitment to dementia policy in Japan, we have collaborated with people living with dementia and other multi-stakeholders to offer several policy recommendations during the formulation process for the Dementia Basic Act for an Inclusive Society (or, the “Dementia Basic Act”). Many of our recommendations were reflected in the Dementia Basic Act when it was enacted in June 2023.

The basic principles of the Basic Dementia Act state that in addition to taking various measures for people living with dementia, appropriate support should also be provided to family members and others who provide long-term care to support people living with dementia. Many initiatives have been taken in recent years in pursuit of the socialization of long-term care, such as the establishment of the Long-term Care Insurance System. These measures aim to ensure that the burden of care is not shouldered entirely by households, but are shared by all of society. However, there are still many cases in which family members are the main providers of long-term care, especially for mental health care.

One way of supporting families and caregivers for people living with dementia is through the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Originally, CBT was widely used as a form of psychotherapy for treating depression. It has been granted insurance coverage in Japan and is currently offered as a treatment at healthcare institutions. In recent years, there has been growing attention placed on the CBT approach in which one re-examines the personal thought patterns that cause stress and mental disorders, which is recognized as a skill that can surpass the boundaries of treatment and help people lead more comfortable lives.

In FY2021, the HGPI Mental Health Project conducted a study on the dissemination of CBT and published policy recommendations titled, “Recommendations on the future dissemination of CBT and support methods based on CBT concepts.”

For the upcoming HGPI Seminar, we will host Professor Miyuki Tajima, whose research focuses on how to best utilize CBT concepts to support families, long-term care providers, and others who provide care for people living with dementia.

Mr. Morio Suzuki, who retired from the position of Representative Director of Alzheimer’s Association Japan (AAJ) in June 2023, will also join us as a special guest speaker. Mr. Suzuki will share comments from the perspectives from family members and other providers of long-term care who support people living with dementia. He will also share issues related to the structure of support for supporters and reflect upon his many years of service as Representative Director of AAJ.

*Please note that this seminar is available in Japanese only. An English report of this event will be published in due course.

[Event Overview]

• Speaker: Miyuki Tajima (Project Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Keio University School of Medicine)
  Special guest: Morio Suzuki (Former Representative Director, AAJ)
  
• Date & Time: Tuesday, September 19, 2023; from 18:30 to 19:45 JST
• Format: Online (Zoom webinar)
• Language: Japanese
• Participation fee: Free
• Capacity: 500

■ Speaker Profile:

Miyuki Tajima (Project Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Keio University School of Medicine)
Professor Miyuki Tajima earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences degree from the Department of Mental Health at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine. She assumed her current position after serving in roles including Research Fellow, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP); and Director, Clinical Technology Development Office, National Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, NCNP. Professor Tajima’s research examines methods of applying cognitive behavioral therapy-based approaches to provide various forms of support, including return-to-work support for people on sick leave due to depression, community suicide prevention, support for people living in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and support for family caregivers of people living with dementia.