Living with the Reality of Dementia

Japan’s aging population makes it especially susceptible to the scourge of dementia in its various forms. Some estimates say that the Japanese population includes more than 10 million people who are already subject to elderly dementia, or at risk of developing it. This condition may be an unavoidable facet of life for the aged, but this does not mean giving up all hope. This series explores the people helping those with dementia and charting ways forward for sufferers to continue to live with meaning and enjoyment. (Photo: Dementia patients build park benches from bamboo in Machida, Tokyo. © Mochida Jōji.)