Research on Development of “Dementia Cafes” in Japan’s Aging Society

Paper Abstract: Japan has entered a super-aging society, and nursing care services have become extremely diverse in recent years.

Dementia cafe “Ninchisyo café” is a part of nursing care service. Dementia cafes started with Alzheimer's cafes in the Netherlands and have spread all over the world. It is a cafe where anyone can stop by and gather, not only people with dementia, but also family members of elderly people with dementia, local residents, and medical professionals, so it can be called a ``dementia salon.'' .

In Japan, dementia cafes were started in 2015 under the Comprehensive Strategy for Promoting Dementia Measures ”New Orange Plan” by Japan’s government, so they are sometimes called Orange Cafes. The purpose of this Orange Plan is to enable people with dementia to continue living in a familiar and comfortable place.

Recently, an increasing number of dementia cafes are being held online, making it possible for many people to participate and exchange information regardless of geographical limitations. For this reason, dementia cafes have become places where a wide variety of people can deepen their interactions.

This research focuses on dementia cafes, which are held in ordinary homes and vacant stores, and are managed by NPOs and family associations, aiming to foster interaction among local residents. The purpose of this research is to clarify development of “dementia cafes” in Japan’s aging society.