[Care for dementia patients by their families and home care]

Present problems concerning home care for the aged including the following three points: 1. The extent of the period during which care is needed has been prolonged as the aged live longer than in previous times. 2. The range of need for home care has increased. 3. As a result of the increase of the individual-dependent "life support infrastructure" due to the decreased role of the family-dependent "life support infrastructure", the aged, who were more self-supporting in past, have become more dependent on care both in quality and quantity. In particular, dementia patients gradually worsen, therefore care for them becomes increasing by difficult with time. This reports attempts to clarify the actual conditions of care for dementia patients by long term stay, short term stay and day care. At present it is difficult to ensure sufficient human terminal care. To overcome this problem, some families caring for dementia patients have formed "self-help groups" and give mutual support while attempting to approach to professional aid groups. While the family is the core of the home care system, it is not necessarily home care per se. Medical and nursing systems should improve home care by creating a system by which professionals are able to approach to families caring for dementia patients through two ways of "waiting" and "visiting" community programs, and by building closer connections with the welfare service.