The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Dementia Policy Project formulated policy recommendations in dementia titled, “Dementia Prevention Initiatives for Achieving a Dementia-Friendly and Inclusive Society.”

For details, please view the PDF provided bottom.

■ Background of these recommendations

The Dementia Basic Act for an Inclusive Society (or, the Dementia Basic Act) came into effect on January 1, 2024 and included a section entitled “Prevention of Dementia, etc.” in Article 21. Stating that the Act will “enable willing participants to engage in appropriate and scientifically sound activities for dementia and mild cognitive impairment,” Article 21 envisions people who can make autonomous decisions. To mark the enactment of the Dementia Basic Act, HGPI arranged opportunities to discuss and examine the nature of dementia prevention. In December 2023, we held multi-stakeholder discussions at a public symposium titled, “Dementia Risk Reduction: How Society Should Face the Individualization of Risk.” Working independently, we then formulated policy recommendations based on those discussions and on other opinion exchanges with experts and representatives of civil society.

■ Policy recommendations

Recommendation 1: Envision a broader meaning for “policy beneficiaries” than the people covered by general dementia policies and endeavor to provide information.
Recommendation 2: Make preparations in the social environment utilizing the voices and experiences of people living with dementia, their families, and related parties.
Recommendation 3: Promote industry-government-academia collaboration from the development stage to ensure quality.
Recommendation 4: Encourage private sector participation by implementing frameworks for evaluation and payment that elevate quality.
Recommendation 5: Adopt practices for risk reduction that lead to early detection, diagnosis, and intervention and coordinate with measures for other chronic diseases.