[Palliative Care for Dementia].

The population of the elderly is increasing rapidly in Japan; therefore, the development of a support system for patients with dementia is an urgent task. In recent years, the palliative care approach, which has conventionally evolved according to the needs of patients with can- cer, has been applied for people with dementia. The palliative care approach aims to prevent and relieve suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, respects the dignity of the patient, and ensures open commu- nication with honesty. Care for persons with dementia involves a number of key palliative interventions, includ- ing symptom management, especially pain control, which is under-recognized and under- treated, psychological support, decision making since diagnosis, and caregiver support. Since palliative care is applicable in conjunction with other treatments, the palliative care approach is suitable for dementia care with comorbidity. Therefore, the importance of palliative care is rec- ognized in acute care and home care settings.