Greetings
Japan is facing an unprecedented super-aging society, and dementia has become a disease that is now familiar to everyone. Recent estimates suggest that approximately one in eight people aged 65 and over have dementia, and approximately one in seven have mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a precursor to dementia. The number of patients is expected to continue to increase in the future (FY2023 Subsidy for the Promotion of Elderly Health Care Projects, "Research on Prevalence Surveys and Future Projections of Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment").
Against this social backdrop, Dementia Treatment Department plays a crucial role as the core of Department of Neurology in the region, promoting early diagnosis, specialized treatment, and medical collaboration. Since its establishment as a pioneering facility in Kanagawa Prefecture, the center has strived to provide high-quality medical care through multidisciplinary and multi-specialty collaboration, including neurology, psychiatry, and Neurosurgery.
Currently, a specialized team, primarily composed of dementia specialists, provides care, utilizing the latest imaging and evaluation methods to deliver precise diagnoses and comprehensive treatment tailored to each individual patient. Furthermore, we are committed to training the next generation of specialists, serving as an educational and training center.
We will continue to strengthen our collaboration with local medical institutions, nursing care facilities, and government agencies to contribute to creating a society where people with dementia and their families can live with peace of mind.
Director of Dementia Treatment Department
Takato Abe
Overview
As a specialized medical institution for dementia, our center provides the following services:
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Medical Consultation: We offer in-person and telephone consultations with specialist staff regarding medical care and nursing care related to dementia.
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Medical Treatment: We provide comprehensive care, focusing on the differential diagnosis of dementia, and including management of complications and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).
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Technical assistance: We contribute to improving the quality of dementia care by holding training sessions and lectures for local healthcare professionals.
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Promoting regional collaboration: We collaborate with government agencies, medical associations, community comprehensive support centers, nursing care facilities, family associations, etc., and share information and establish systems through medical collaboration councils.
If you wish to be seen, please prepare a referral letter from your primary care physician and make an appointment for Department of Neurology in advance. In particular, for first-time outpatient visits on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, in addition to a Department of Neurology, a physician specializing in dementia will be in charge of consultations. Depending on the day's consultation situation, there may be a waiting time. Please come with plenty of time to spare. Information such as the status of co-existing conditions, the patient's usual behavior, and life history is important for the diagnosis and treatment of dementia. In addition, in dementia and its pre-stage (MCI: mild cognitive impairment), the understanding and support of those around the patient who support their daily life greatly contribute to slowing the progression. When you come for a consultation, please bring a referral letter from your primary care physician and your medication record book, and be sure to come accompanied by a family member or close relative who knows the patient well. Depending on the patient's condition, we will provide treatment in cooperation with the necessary departments such as psychiatry and Neurosurgery.
Our center focuses on the differential diagnosis of dementia, and in addition to evaluating cognitive function, we make differential diagnoses by making full use of imaging diagnostics such as amyloid PET, MRI and SPECT, and we operate as the core facility for dementia medical care in the western region of Kanagawa Prefecture. Furthermore, as we are a general hospital with an Emergency Medical Center, when patients are hospitalized due to physical illnesses that coexist with dementia, our dementia care support team intervenes early and supports patients with dementia so that they can receive hospital treatment safely and comfortably.