Japan Dementia Working Group

【Objective】
To create a society where people with dementia continue to live well with hope and dignity after diagnosis.

【Mission】
*To represent the voices of people with dementia throughout Japan.
*To make proposals to and monitor measures and policies that affect people with dementia
*To change social attitudes, that is to eliminate stigma and discrimination
*To increase hope and power of people with dementia

【History】
Around 2004 :People with dementia begin to come out and raise their voices
People with dementia started to ‘come out’ and spoke about their experiences in public, proposing to create a better world to live with dementia. This movement spread like a ripple to different places of Japan.
2011〜 :Individual voiceｓ shifted to work in joint activities
Sep 2011:Three people with dementia and others called for starting a study meeting on ‘research on people affected by dementia.’
Sep 2014: Utilizing the study meeting, people with dementia held a preparation meeting to set up a dementia working group in Japan, so that “people with dementia can actively create activities, rather than being content with an invited speaker who sees no further outcome, “ and “we the people with dementia will try to show how we live well with dementia.” Just before the meeting, NHK broadcasted a documentary featuring Scottish Dementia Working Group and caused a significant pump-priming effect toward the launching of the new group.
Oct. 2014: JDWG Established with 11 people with dementia and 13 partners.（JDWG decided to use the word “partner” instead of “supporter,” to imply more equal relationship.）

【Activities】
1. Collect members’opinions and submit proposals to Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)
Outcome: The New Orange Plan made clear “to respect the will of the persons with dementia” and “to focus on the perspective of the persons with dementia.” A government plan was laid out to promote participation of people with dementia in local government policy planning and evaluation. (Jan 2015)
2. Cooperating with local governments, media, academic conferences, and service providers, engage in disseminating the voices of people with dementia all over Japan, through lectures, presentations, TVs, newspapers and magazines
3. Collect members’ opinions on important current social issues to deliver to media and MHLW.
e.g. the Supreme court decision on railroad accident.
4. Serve as a committee member in various projects of MHLW and local government
5. Organize national meeting (Tokyo, Tottori)
6. Organize monthly small meeting
7. Participate in preparation for ADI2017 Kyoto as persons with dementia
8. Send out JDWG news e-mail letter as need basis