1. NEWS AND INFORMATION
*”Towards a preventative dementia campaign” (Australian Ageing agenda Aug. 10, 2010
*”Alzheimer’s Drug Development a Tough Road Lilly News Shows” (Wall Street Journal)
2. AAJ UPDATE
World Alzheimer’s Day Events
*Lecture meetings in Kyoto and Tokyo
AAJ headquarters held lecture meetings in Kyoto and Tokyo in commemoration of WAD.
In Kyoto on 19th September, 300 participants listened to a debate regarding the necessity of care need certification under the Long Term Insurance by two professors followed by a question-and- answer session. After the debate, the Mr. Takeuchi, PWD, and Mr. Takami, AAJ president, had a discussion on the stage. Mr. Takeuchi’s positive words impressed the audience there and made them feel something bright in the days ahead.
*World Alzheimer’s Day street campaign
AAJ conducted an awareness campaign of dementia on 18th September at 109 places all over Japan. 1700 members of AAJ branches, many volunteers such as welfare and medical professionals, students and administrative officers participated. They appealed for understanding of dementia and handed out leaflets describing World Alzheimer’s Day. Those activities were widely reported in the media.
3. PROFESSIONAL’S COMMENT
By Dr. Kenji Osaka , Discoverer of Dementia with Lewy bodies
4. LETTERS FROM MEMBERS
*Thirty years ago, I visited my grandmother at a nursing home where ten elderly people were sharing one dark room. It came as a reminder that today’s conditions of elderly care were achieved by the efforts of many people. Now I am taking care of my mother and my husband’s mother using social services. Furthermore, the information from AAJ and the training course of aged care helps me a lot. Knowledge and wisdom are very important for the quality of lives of the carers and PWDs.(47-year-old woman)
*Finally I joined AAJ today though I knew about AAJ for a long time. If I had done it earlier, I could have spent more peaceful days during my difficult years. After a very tough ten years taking care of my mother with serious dementia I suffered a cerebral infarction. Thanks to good rehabilitation I made a recovery to be independent in daily life. I learned a lot of things through the experience as a person with a disability. The following year I suddenly experienced a disorientation of time and place and memory loss. After hard practice I have improved considerably. I took a university social welfare course and graduated. Now I am working as a counselor for family carers. I will give my precious experiences full play to build a comfortable society for PWDs and their carers. (70-year-old woman)
5. CARE EXPERIENCE By M. Sato
“Taking care of two mothers ”
6. TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE
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“I cannot endure the words and behavior of my wife with dementia. I want to know the real feelings of other family carers.”
7. FROM NORTH TO SOUTH
The activities of AAJ chapters
8. THE COMMENTARY ON AAJ PROPOSAL By AAJ Executive Board member, Y.Tabei
AAJ suggests the abolition of care need certification and other reform measures in The Long-term Care Insurance”
AAJ suggests several reform measures for Long-Term Care Insurance. One suggestion is the innovation of the evaluation system for care facilities. The present system is too much of a burden for each facility, especially for small bodies. From the point of view of facilities, the present system is too much of a burden financially and involves a lot of trouble. From the viewpoint of users, it is hard to access and difficult to get useful information. AAJ proposes an advanced evaluation system by a third party.
9. ESSAY By Y. Kawamura, Chief Producer of Nihon Hoso Kyoukai
10. MESSAGE FROM PWDS By Osamu Mizuki
“Cherished Encounters”
O. Mizuki is 73 years old and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease five years ago. Impressed by Cristine Bryden’s book, he began writing his blog in 2006. He has many readers and exchanges messages with them on his website. He was introduced in the September issue of the ADI newsletter.
11. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By K. Takami President of AAJ
TAKE HEART AND TAKE CARE TILL NEXT MONTH!
