Tami Saito, Ph.D. | National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
Competition Sponsor: Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
Awardee Year: 2020
People with dementia (PWD) and their family caregivers (CG) are at risk of depression, caregiving burden, and deterioration in the quality of life. It is important to develop safe, effective support programs to alleviate such risks. However, at least in Japan, evidence-based nonpharmacological programs remain scarce. This study develops two distinct programs and examines their effect and feasibility with scientifically rigid study design.
We focus on dyadic group-based psychosocial programs, which have shown recent promise with regard to both health impacts and efficiency in healthcare provision. Furthermore, dyadic programs will be useful for developing effective partnerships among PWD, CG, and social and health care providers. Particularly in Japan, where caregiving is traditionally based on familism, it appears important to coordinate relationships between PWD and their CG.
Our findings will enable us to provide safe, effective, and satisfactory programs to improve the health and quality of life of PWD and their family members. In addition, expanding these programs in communities could facilitate social engagement among PWD and their family members, who tend to be socially isolated. Furthermore, such programs could provide additive value for healthcare and residential facilities for senior citizens.
To learn more about this proposal email healthylongevity@nas.edu.
View this project poster, first displayed at the 2021 Global Innovator Summit.