ABOUT US (GLOCOM & DFJI)

“What kind of social infrastructure is necessary for creating a society where people with dementia can live a healthy and positive life? “

“What type of new businesses could we create through focusing on the needs and wants around people with dementia? “

These are critical questions whose solutions have been long sought. 　 But the reality is, these questions have been typically discussed mainly amongst healthcare experts and caregivers…..

 

The DFJI is composed of people from private enterprises, local governments, academia, NPOs, and dementia sufferers and their families. The questions we pose to ourselves are:

• “How should we approach the market today where ageing is a pressing issue and the socially disadvantaged has increased?”• “What can we do to change our company's culture that would make it better connected with

the rest of the society?”• “How and where should we start to build and enhance relations with our stakeholders in the

future market?”

In 2011, the Center for Global Communications at the International University of Japan (GLOCOM) launched a new project on dementia in collaboration with Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. and Dementia Friendship Club (an NPO). The objectives of the project are to have a better understanding of the impact of dementia and think collectively among broader and different stakeholder groups in the public and private sectors in Japan. In 2013, the project blossomed into a new private-sector-led platform, “the Dementia Friendly JAPAN Initiative” (DFJI).

Dementia Friendly JAPAN Summit

In July of 2014, an industry-wide national event, with dementia friendliness as its main theme, was held for the first time in Japan. Some 200 people from the private sector, local government officials, researchers, NPO, people with dementia and their families had participated during the 2 days. An interactive symposium and 11 participatory sessions with the audience were held.Below are the nine keywords for the realization and promotion of a dementia friendly society that were introduced by the interactive sessions with the participants.

 ★Listening to and Presenting the Voices of People with Dementia

[1] A relationship of trust where their thoughts can be communicated[2] Producing many “social encounters” [3] Place not specializing only in dementia

★Evaluating and accelerating efforts

[7] QOL of communities/meaning of life[8] Individuals, groups/city/whole of society. Goal setting for each of them.[9] Creating incentives for promoting efforts. 

 ★Reflecting on how society works

[4] Extension of the thoughts of the people involved. Regarded as other people's problems.[5] State level ～ community association unit, working to reflect on each level[6] To businesses where Individuals in companies realize, take action, and continue

The three columns to the right are the nine keywords for the realization and promotion of a dementia friendly society that were introduced by the interactive sessions with the participants.

RUN-TOMOConnecting through the sash

2,500 kmThrough running with a single sash to be passed on, both people with dementia and people without dementia will run towards the goal line. We ran 2,500 km in 2014.

“Run Tomo” is a social movement that was begun in 2011, whose aim is to realize a dementia friendly society. People with dementia, their families, friends, young people, and elderly people will together run a short distance, and traverse the Japan islands by passing on the sash to the next person.

It started as a tiny movement where 171 people ran a distance of 300km from Hakodate to Sapporo in Hokkaido. 3 years later in 2014, it has expanded into a huge project involving 4,500 people, running a total distance of 2,500km from Hokkaido to Hiroshima.

Start

Goal

FUJINOMIYA ProjectBridging CommunitiesSharing Our Memories

(Historypin.jp)

In the winter of 2014, high school students from Shizuoka prefectural Fugakukan, set up an interactive event involving local senior citizens, using old photos from Fujinomiya. This interactive event was held in the shopping district of Fujinomiya Eki Mae Dori. We will show this event that was held in Fujinomiya in a video.

Through photos, efforts to create a place where trans-generational exchange, including senior citizens with dementia, can engage in exchanges.

Project of Fragrance

●Fragrance to Enrich the Quality of Life for People With DementiaUsing “fragrances”, we enrich the quality of life of senior citizens including those with dementia. Fragrances have the power to call back emotions connected to past memories, and has the potential to uplift the mood. People with dementia, may benefit by enjoying fragrances in everyday life. ●The History of IncenseThe history of incense began when people started cooking with fire. In every civilization, there was a custom of burning incense. Perfume (parfum in French) originally meant “to permeate with smoke.”  Incense can therefore be said to be the origin of perfume. The incense culture is shared worldwide, and the sophisticated culture of incense spread from the Eurasian West to the East through the Silk Road.  Then in the Asuka period （ 6th century), it was introduced to Japan along with Buddhism. During the Muromachi period (15th century), incense ceremony was regarded as one of the three traditional cultures of Japan, along with tea ceremony and flower arrangement. ●Actual Case of How Incense Was UtilizedSince the Incense Research Institute founded in January of 2011, we have been conducting regular workshops utilizing incense at senior citizens facilities in Setagaya ward, a residential area in Tokyo. It has proven to be quite popular.●New Project “A Walk Through the Aromatic Seasonal Flowers and Trees” “A Walk Through the Aromatic Seasonal Flowers and Trees,” is planned to start from the spring of 2015. At various locations throughout Japan (such as the “Lotus Scent” in Gyoda shi ,Saitama prefecture, or in the cypress and cedar forests in Aomori), people with or without dementia and children will be matched up in trans-generational groups, and will go on walks together to experience the fragrances in nature unique to the location, and encouraged to freely express their impressions artistically. The image each person receives upon encountering the fragrances of flowers and plants is unique. In the future, we would like to expand the events to every prefecture of Japan and organize art contests inspired by fragrance at museums every year.