Table 2. Comparing 8 Countries’ National Dementia Plans by Possible Policy Approaches for the 11 Targetsa.
| Possible policy approach | Canada | Italy | Germany | UK | US | Japan | France | South Korea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target 1: dementia risk reduction | ||||||||
| Intensifying preventive awareness | + | + | + | + | + | + | − | + |
| Intensifying preventive activities (lifestyles, program) | + | − | + | + | + | + | − | + |
| Research for prevention | + | − | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Target 2: early diagnosis of dementia | ||||||||
| Increase the availability and accessibility of diagnostic services | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Provide training to primary care staff in identifying dementia | + | − | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Postdiagnostic support to link people to appropriate services | − | − | + | + | − | + | + | + |
| Target 3: dementia awareness and friendliness | ||||||||
| Public awareness campaigns to reduce stigma | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Targeted education of those who come into contact with PWD | + | − | + | + | + | − | − | + |
| Dementia education in schools | − | − | − | + | − | + | − | − |
| Target 4: support for caregivers of PWD | ||||||||
| Increase the availability and uptake of respite care services | + | − | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Provide training to caregivers (informal caregivers) | + | − | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Provide support to caregivers (focused on peer-to-peer support) | + | − | + | + | − | + | − | + |
| Target 5: safe and appropriate environment for PWD | ||||||||
| Supporting the improvement of the residential environment | − | − | + | + | − | − | + | + |
| Introduction of an alternative housing model | − | − | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Target 6: safe and high-quality long-term-care services for PWD | ||||||||
| Standardizing long-term-care services | + | − | + | + | + | − | + | + |
| Training dementia-related workforce for care service | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Monitoring the management of BPSD | − | − | − | + | + | − | − | − |
| Promoting human rights and decision-making for PWD | + | − | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Target 7: adequate health facilities for PWD | ||||||||
| Training staff in recognizing and responding to PWD | − | + | + | + | + | + | − | + |
| Establishing specialized staff and dedicated wards in hospitals | − | − | + | + | − | − | + | + |
| Target 8: EOL care for the dignity of PWD | ||||||||
| Improving accessibility to EOL care for PWD | − | − | + | + | − | + | + | − |
| Training care home staff in EOL care for PWD | − | − | + | + | + | − | + | − |
| Target 9: coordinated and proactive care closer to home | ||||||||
| Establishing multidisciplinary services | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Providing acute services outside of the hospital | − | − | + | + | + | − | + | − |
| Target 10: dementia research and innovation | ||||||||
| Promoting user-centered development and assessment of technologies | + | − | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Developing measures to facilitate research | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Target 11: information systems for dementia | ||||||||
| Developing national systems to gather information | + | + | + | + | − | − | + | + |
| Recording and sharing patient data | − | − | − | − | + | + | + | + |
| Enabling access to data of available services and resources | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + |
Abbreviations: BPSD, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia; EOL, end-of-life; PWD, people with dementia.
a
A plus sign indicates that the policy approach is addressed in the national dementia plan; a minus sign indicates that the policy approach is lacking in the national dementia plan.