A comparison of dementia care and policy in five Asian regions: A literature review

Abstract

Purpose: This review was comprised of an integrative analysis of the literature on the current state of dementia and related issues in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Methods: Published reports and policy documents from MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, and each government’s database were used in this review. Results: All five Asian regions are projected to become super-aged societies within 12 years, and the number of people with dementia has increased in these regions. All five regions have established dementia policies, which include improving dementia awareness, risk reduction, early diagnosis, and support programs for caregivers. However, there is a lack of information systems for sharing dementia data and research funding for dementia. Conclusion: It is necessary to establish a dementia committee for Asian regions to actively address the challenges posed by the upcoming super-aged societies and to complement the insufficient research. This review provides future directions for dealing with diverse dementia-related issues and can serve as the basis for forming an Asian dementia committee.