[Initial Insight] Dementia Is No Longer Someone Else's Problem

Around this time in 2019, I read a book called The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders on the recommendation of a senior colleague. It depicts an actual project running a restaurant staffed by elderly people with dementia. Located in Tokyo, Japan, the restaurant is a small space with 12 seats, and all the staff suffer from dementia symptoms. The menu has three items, each priced at 1000 yen. It is common for the elderly staff to come to take orders and then stand blankly, wondering, "Why did I come here?" When a customer asks, "Aren't you here to take orders?" the elderly staff respond with a chuckle, "Hohoho," and take the order. Many times, the food served is different from what was ordered. No customer gets angry at these unexpected mistakes; instead, they seem to enjoy the errors.

Japan, which entered a super-aged society earlier than South Korea, has over 6 million people suffering from dementia. Starting this year, Japan legally guarantees the social participation of people with dementia. On June 14, the Japanese parliament passed the Basic Law for Promoting a Symbiotic Society for Dementia. Earlier, in 2004, Japan changed the medical term for dementia from ‘chimae’ (치매) to ‘ninchisho’ (認知症, cognitive disorder) because the term ‘dementia’ itself creates prejudice among people. The word ‘dementia’ reflects the Latin medical term ‘Dementia’ meaning ‘mental disorder’ and was translated into the Chinese characters for ‘chimae’ meaning ‘foolishness’.

In two years, South Korea will also enter a super-aged society. Next year, when the elderly population reaches 10 million, it is expected that the number of dementia patients aged 65 and over will exceed 1 million. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of dementia patients will surpass 3 million. Caring for one dementia patient costs individuals about 20.61 million KRW per year, excluding government support.

It is crucial to create dementia-friendly environments that allow patients to maintain their remaining abilities and live in their original communities. The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s evaluation of the Dementia Safe Villages, implemented since 2019, is positive. Currently, there are over 600 Dementia Safe Villages nationwide. Members of these villages, such as pharmacists and postal workers, are warm companions who consider the needs of dementia patients and their families. For patients with early-onset dementia before age 65, ‘Green Memory Cafes’ are also operated. Dementia patients run these cafes themselves, enhancing their ability to perform daily activities and providing opportunities for economic activity. Although somewhat late, the government is preparing to change the term ‘dementia’ as well. Terms such as cognitive disorder, cognitive disease, and cognitive decline are being discussed.

More important than government policies is the awareness and positive attitude of society’s members toward dementia. A caregiver of a dementia patient lamented, "The perception of dementia was so negative that I hid with my husband," and added, "I even thought about giving up everything." Isolation is poison for dementia patients. This caregiver said, "Neighbors’ interest and care are necessary." If an environment is created where patients can interact with new people and demonstrate productivity, the progression of dementia can be delayed. Dementia is no longer someone else’s problem. It is a future that any of us may face. We must create a dementia-safe society where families of dementia patients can live together with their neighbors.