An International Investigation of Driver’s Licenses for Dementia Patients with Considerations of Their Social Circumstances

Introduction

The increasing proportion of young people moving to urban areas associated with economic development brings an increase in the proportion of nuclear families. Therefore, households composed of only aging people are increasing in the depopulated areas. For aging people, an automobile is necessary to go shopping or to a hospital. However, an elderly person may display reduced abilities of judgment and cognition and, in severe cases, may exhibit dementia. As shown in Figure 1, the number of patients with dementia is expected to increase around the world. In Japan, there is a duty for an aging person over the age of 70 to take driver’s licenses, and a person who has poor judgment and cognition cannot obtain a driver’s license. The loss of a driver’s license can make a person’s life difficult.

Figure 1.

Predicted increase in the prevalence of dementia

Rapidly changing lifestyles, the policies for living conditions, and security and social infrastructure for aging people differ by country. For instance, European countries have a policy of welfare, but Asian countries have a policy of economic growth. The policies depend not only on the economic growth but also on the convenience of everyday tasks for aging people and their support systems.

In this study, the social infrastructures for aging people regarding driver’s licenses and driving in everyday life are investigated for several countries.

Experiment