Number of trained 'dementia supporters' tops 10 mil in Japan

Seems like a pretty huge number, meaning roughly 8% of the total population.

Or not, now that I read it again! Maybe scrub that!

1 in 5? 20%? I’d go a bit higher than that from what I’ve seen. My guess is, the Japanese diagnosis is quite different coz there are so many people that are a bit odd.

"To become a volunteer supporter, a person needs to complete a 60- to 90-minute training session... 10.15 million people have completed the mandatory sessions, including instructors as well as those who have taken the course multiple times."

Well-intentioned but just how much can you learn in 60 minutes? And how did 10 million people get this training? I have a feeling all public servants were given a seminar for three years in a row and one or two public sessions were thrown in at local schools. Better than nothing but has it helped?

BTW--Why would an "instructor" take the same course multiple times?

Well-intentioned but just how much can you learn in 60 minutes? 

That's not even enough to present the topic.

Seems an incredibly high number of people; few of my family or neighbours had even heard of the programme, and there are five or six dementia sufferers amongst them in my immediate area.

It is quite similar to the Dementia Friends programme in the UK, and the programme ideas are commendable.

From their training materials:

Dementia Supporter

• A Dementia supporter possesses appropriate knowledge of dementia and does not have prejudice against people with dementia, and acts as a supporter watching over dementia people and their family to the best of his/her ability.

• Trying to understand the feelings of people with dementia and their families, and telling friends and family learned knowledge about dementia, are part of their actions.

• The Orange Ring, which is a sign that one supports people with dementia, is given to dementia supporters.

Both my parents had dementia, of different types, so I have first hand experience of managing them, and found that few doctors (UK around 1 in 10) are capable of recognising dementia; and that eventual patient care is divided between various agencies, who often are unable to communicate their strategy and actions due to patient confidentiality and data privacy regulations. That was the biggest issue in their management.

The figures get pushed up because they record multiple repeaters as many people, instead of just one person, Yubaru. So really it is a record of attendances at classes.

Quote: "As of the end of March, 10.15 million people have completed the mandatory sessions, including instructors as well as those who have taken the course multiple times, "

Definitely higher than 20% too many dangerous dementia people out there wandering around or behind the wheel. They need to be under strict confinement 24/7