Japan’s pioneering dementia day centres help people keep working after a diagnosis

Lunchtime was in full swing at a community kitchen in western Tokyo where staff delivered steaming bowls of curry to hungry customers. A simple menu offered a choice between two flavours for £3.50 each or a combination of both for £4.

And as plates streamed out of the kitchen, it was not immediately obvious that the was being run by people with .

The Express was visiting the Hachioji branch of DAYS BLG!, a project that offers day services for people living with the condition in .

The 100BLG model aims to help them continue to work and contribute to their communities while also maintaining social connections.

Our day began at a nearby house where around a dozen members arrived, supported by a small team of staff. After a quick health check and morning meeting, they chose from a list of jobs in the community.

Half the group headed to the community kitchen to open the curry restaurant – something they do twice a month.

Chef Iwayo Kuboki, 77, owned a nearby and ran a coffee shop in Shinjuku before he was diagnosed with dementia around 10 years ago.

He was at times quiet and withdrawn, struggling to find the words to express himself, but appeared in his element while cooking up two delicious batches of curry. 

A 51-year-old woman with early-onset dementia was in charge of pickles, and two other members were working as waiters.

Hideji Mizuno, 62, greeted every customer with a beaming smile in a manner perfected during his former career as a restaurant manager. 

He was diagnosed with dementia in 2023 after he began losing track of what he was doing. He said: “I thought I couldn’t do anything anymore, so I was very happy to be able to do it again in this way.

“If I didn’t come here, I would just stay at home. So I come here three days a week. When I do, I go out and do all sorts of things, so I don’t feel alone…I’m enjoying myself together with everyone.”

Japan has one of the highest rates of dementia in the world due to its rapidly ageing population. Estimates suggest that as many as seven million people may be living with dementia by 2025.

In 2023, Japan’s parliament passed a specific law requiring local and national governments to promote an inclusive society for people with dementia, and ensure that they can live with dignity and support.

Masaki Kobayashi, 56, an official in the senior citizens’ welfare department at Hachioji City Hall, was among those who visited the restaurant for lunch.

He said: “Our goal is to live with people with dementia in the community, so we think a place like this is extremely valuable.

“Like the nation, Hachioji City wants to create a place where everyone can keep smiling, even those with dementia. We want to create an environment where people with dementia can naturally join the community.”

Meanwhile, the other half of the group were paid a small amount to wash cars at a local Honda dealership. Working in a well-practised routine, they scrubbed each vehicle until it was shining.

DAYS BLG! Hachioji’s leader, Takuya Moriya, said people with dementia are too often treated differently and their abilities overlooked.

He explained: “They are told more often: ‘You shouldn’t do this on your own’. I don’t think it’s right to draw a line and see someone with dementia differently, as someone who can’t do anything, and take away what they can still do.”

The group had around two dozen members and a waiting list of more who were keen to join. Other jobs they had completed included delivering newspapers, cleaning aquarium tanks at a school, and cleaning outside a supermarket.

Mr Moriya said: “People are surprised at what the members do, for example that they make curry and wash cars. People seem to wonder: ‘Can you really do that?’”

The money earned from their jobs was divided between the members. They paid a small amount to come to the day service, ranging from ¥800 to ¥2,800 yen, around £4-£14. 

The price depended on a person’s care needs and their income – for most, the fee covered 10% of their overall costs, with the rest paid by Japan’s long-term care insurance system.

The group also sometimes delivers lectures in schools and universities to educate people about the reality of living with dementia.

Fighting stigma, listening to the voices of those with dementia, and helping them to remain connected with their communities is vital, Mr Moriya said.

He added: “I think there is a lot of risk of loneliness and isolation, even for people who don’t have dementia.

“The reason why BLG members are healthy is because they have friends. It is very important to connect with other people when living in the community.

“I hope that the BLG…together with our friends, will help people who have been diagnosed with dementia to see things differently. I hope we can change many things.”