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People living with dementia face a constant struggle in re-establishing their means of living a meaningful life. Journal writing exhibits the potential to help them regain a sense of control over their lives. This study explores the experience, meaning, and value of journal writing for people living with dementia who autonomously engage in the activity.We conducted individual, semi-structured interviews with eight people living with dementia who each kept a personal, paper-based daily journal. The interviews were thematically analyzed.We identified four main themes. Theme 1. Recognition of the harsh reality of life under dementia. Theme 2. Observation of and compensation for weaknesses. Theme 3. Reacknowledgement and reaffirmation of one's identity, and Theme 4. Resignation and regret over comparisons to one's 'former' self. Themes 2 and 3 suggest that journal writing enabled self-reflection on daily activity functions and sense of self. However, Theme 4 represents the downside where an individual more acutely realises their deteriorating condition and regrets over their perceived loss of self.While acknowledging the possible adverse effect of amplifying pessimistic perceptions toward life, journal writing is a powerful 'self-help' strategy for people living with dementia and provides an avenue to recover and thrive.

Background: This study aimed to identify reduced home care use among older people and its impact on user numbers and service provider revenues during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Methods: We conducted this secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from long-term care providers in Japan and estimated the probability of client cancellations and service contraction for institutional and home care services adjusted for the service type, area, size, infection occurrence, and staff employment impacts. We then estimated the rate of change in user numbers and revenue related to reduced usage.Results: Seventy-two percent of home care providers experienced client cancellations and 42.1% experienced service contraction, both of which were more prevalent in home care than in institutional care (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=11.09 and 1.60). Home-visit (AOR=0.70) and short-term stay (AOR=0.38) services were less likely to experience client cancellations compared with adult day services. Service contraction was less likely in home-visit services (AOR=0.60) but were more likely in short-stay services (AOR=1.49) compared to adult day services. The estimated reductions in user numbers and revenue related to service contraction for adult day services were 9.1% and 7.1%, respectively. Home-visiting services decreased by an estimated 3.4% owing to service contraction. Conclusion: The secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic include reduced use of home care services, especially adult day services that include social contact. These secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may cause functional deterioration in non-infected clients and financially impact service providers.

Introduction: Reflecting the rapidly aging society, there has been a worldwide increase in the number of health cafés and dementia cafés which can provide a variety of support to people with illnesses and their families in the community. Nevertheless, health cafés organized by primary care physicians are rarely reported, and the social value of these activities has not yet been fully elucidated. Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the value and impact that the health café organized by the primary care physician, brings to the visitors, the clinic, and the community. Methods: Conversations between the author (YO), who belongs to a medical clinic that has been operating for many years in Shizuoka City, and visitors of the health café were qualitatively analyzed using Steps for Coding and Theorization (SCAT), which is a sequential and thematic qualitative analysis technique consisting of 4 steps. Results: Sixteen people participated in the study. The values and impacts of holding a health café were social support, opportunities for cognitive and behavioral changes, complementary functions to outpatient care, advantages for medical care, the creation of encounters with diverse individuals, connections with local community organizations, and motivating visitors to become proactive actors. Conclusion: It was considered valuable for physicians in community-based medical clinics to have opportunities to interact with patients and local residents outside the clinical settings. Because they can potentially enhance their role as primary care physicians in the community. In addition, the impact on the community is that local residents can receive social support, increase community ties, and make people more proactive about their health.

We researched the chemical character and its formation mechanism of the ground water of mires as a basic study to conserve of natural mires. The researched area was Sarobetsu mire (23,000ha), in the north of Hokkaido, where its vegetation and other aspects of its nature has been gradually changing, such as the partial development of the mire into agricultural fields. This research shows that ground water of high moor bog region where Sphagnum spp. are dominant is increased only by rain water and in the ground water of the high moor bog, the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria activity is suppressed. And it was found that in the region where the conservation of mires is necessary because of invasion of Sasa palmata in the original bog vegetation, concentrations of general inorganic components and nutrients were extremely high because of their elution from clay mingled into the peat soil, inflow of water rich with nutrients from other water systems and the decomposition of the peat soil by development in the area.