Ryota Watanabe

INTRODUCTION: Overcoming dementia-related stigma is a global challenge, but tools to assess stigma among family caregivers of people living with dementia remain limited. This study examined the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Family Stigma Instrument for family caregivers of people living with dementia (J-FAMSI-dementia), originally developed in the United Kingdom. METHODS: A total of 372 informal caregivers aged 18–79 years of family members living with dementia completed an internet survey. The J-FAMSI-dementia comprises five subscales (stigma by association; perceived, affective, and behavioral affiliate stigma; and positive aspects of caregiving), developed through forward and back translations. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis supported an acceptable five-factor model. All subscales showed high internal consistency and moderate to good test-retest reliability. Correlations with dementia attitude, caregiving burden, and depressive symptoms supported construct validity. DISCUSSION: The J-FAMSI-dementia demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability and may help identify dementia-related stigma among family caregivers. Highlights: The Family Stigma Instrument for dementia in Japan (J-FAMSI-dementia) was developed The J-FAMSI-dementia showed acceptable validity and good reliability The scale included associative and affiliate stigma and positive caregiving aspects The J-FAMSI-dementia helps understand the dementia stigma experienced by caregivers Research in context: Systematic review: Despite reducing dementia-related stigma being an international priority, previous research has mainly focused on public stigma and self-stigma, with less attention to stigma experienced by family caregivers. Interpretation: This study developed a Japanese version of the Family Stigma Instrument for dementia (J-FAMSI-dementia), originally developed in the United Kingdom, and provided a tool to assess stigma experienced by informal caregivers of people living with dementia in Japan. Future directions: The J-FAMSI-dementia, with demonstrated validity and reliability, may help in understanding the stigma experienced by caregivers in dementia care and facilitate efforts to reduce stigma and strengthen caregiver support.

Aim: A short‐term intensive prevention service, known as day service type C, involves professional intervention for 3 to 6 months to enhance participants' social participation and roles within their communities. This study aimed to evaluate whether implementing short‐term intensive prevention services reduces cumulative long‐term care (LTC) costs over a 3‐year period, compared with the situation for non‐participants. Methods: This study included older adults aged 65 years and older from Taketa City, Oita Prefecture. A total of 132 individuals participated in short‐term intensive prevention services from 2016 to 2019, and the non‐participant group comprised 116 individuals identified as eligible for services through a self‐administered postal survey in 2019 (both groups at baseline). The non‐participant group was selected as part of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. Both groups were followed up for 3 years from baseline. The cumulative LTC costs derived from the public claims records served as the dependent variable. The covariates were sex, living situation, income, level of long‐term care need, and risk assessment scale. Linear regression analysis was performed. Results: The participants incurred 241 398 JPY (± 681 335) per person, while the non‐participants incurred 1 147 858 JPY (± 1 244 750). The adjusted linear regression showed that the LTC cost for the participants was lower by 495 534 (−848 382 to −142 686) JPY per person than that for those in the non‐participation group. Conclusions: Compared with non‐participants, the participants incurred approximately 500 000 JPY less in cumulative LTC costs per person over the subsequent 3 years. The widespread adoption of short‐term, intensive prevention services may contribute to the sustainability of LTC insurance systems. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; 25: 1058–1064 .

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the number of program types and CGA in community gathering places to gain valid insights into the provision of programs in community gathering places. The study was longitudinal in nature and used prospective cohort data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. The participants were 8758 older adults recruited from 28 cities and towns. The dependent variable was the CGA using the KCL. The independent variable was the number of program types in community gathering places. The participants were classified under four groups, namely, No Participation, One Type, Two Types, and More Than Three Types. The study performed linear regression analysis. The mean of the KCL scores by the number of types was 3.8 ± 3.3, 3.5 ± 3.0, 3.3 ± 2.9, and 3.2 ± 2.8 points for the four groups, respectively. CGA was better for two and three or more types of program participation. CGA at 3 years was better when the community gathering places implemented two or more types of program.

Evidence remains inadequate regarding the benefits of participation in community gathering places, which is Japan’s primary strategy for preventing functional disability in older adults, in other domains of health and well-being. This longitudinal study examined the associations of participation in community gathering places with an array of subsequent health and well-being outcomes among older adults. We used 3-wave data (2013, 2016, and 2019) from Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (n = 5 879 or 4 232 depending on the outcome). Our exposure was participation in community gathering places in 2016. We assessed 34 health/well-being outcomes in 2019 across 6 domains. We adjusted for pre-baseline covariates including prior outcome values in 2013. Compared with nonparticipation, participation in community gathering places was associated with some outcomes in the following 3 domains: physical/cognitive health (better higher-level functional capacity), social well-being (more frequent participation in hobby groups, senior citizens clubs, learning or cultural groups, and seeing more friends within a month), and prosocial/altruistic behaviors (more frequent participation in volunteering; after Bonferroni correction as p < .0015, .05/34). Evidence was mixed and more modest for the outcomes in three other domains, mental health, psychological well-being, and health behaviors. Promoting participation in community gathering places may not only fulfill its original goal (ie, preventing functional disability) but also enhance other domains of human well-being, potentially by increasing social interactions.

[Purpose] To clarify the relationship between daily life function before admission to a rehabilitation ward and walking independence at discharge. [Participants and Methods] Thirty older patients with musculoskeletal diseases who were ambulatory independent before hospitalization but were not ambulatory independent at the time of admission to the rehabilitation ward were included. The dependent variable was whether the patients could walk independently at the time of discharge from the hospital, and the independent variables were life functions (physical domain, nutrition domain, eating domain, houseboundness domain, memory domain, and multi-domain) which were assessed using the Kihon Checklist. [Results] There were 21 patients (70.0%) who were ambulatory independent at discharge. Patients with physical domain decline, housebound and impaired multi-domain prior to hospitalization were less likely to be independent in walking after discharge than those without physical domain decline, housebound and impaired multi-domain. [Conclusion] We suggest that good pre-hospital life function is associated with ambulatory independence.