We investigated the relationship between lifestyle and cognitive function in elderly subjects who had their checkups at a memory clinic. The 136 elderly study subjects included 51 with Alzheimer’s disease, 22 with vascular dementia, 23 with frontotemporal dementia, 25 with mild cognitive impairment, and 15 healthy control. The patients’ lifestyles were assessed using the Frenchay activities index (FAI), and their cognitive functions were assessed by neuropsychological tests, such as the mini-mental status examination and the frontal assessment battery (FAB). The FAI score was lower in the demented patients than in the control subjects. Strong correlations were observed between the FAI scores and the scores in the neuropsychological tests. The FAI scores did not correlate with the educational level or the duration of disease. The fi ndings from the stepwise regression analysis indicated that the FAB score, the number of family members, gender, and age were factors independently affecting the FAI score. The results indicated that the lifestyles of the elderly people might be affected by not only their age and family organization but also their cognitive function. We concluded that cognitive function could play a role in the lifestyle of elderly people.

Our former independent palliative care center has become a palliative care ward in our new general hospital, and deceased patients continue to be discharged through the building’s main entrance. We compared the impact of this change on the discharge experience of bereaved families. As a result, the number of bereaved families who felt uneasy when their relatives were discharged from the hospital increased from 13% to 23%. On the other hand, the number of bereaved families who had a feeling of uneasiness when encountering the discharge of other deceased patients decreased from 52% to 28%. Although positive feedback was received for discharge using the main entrance, our findings emphasize the need for thorough consideration by medical staff of the manner of discharge in general hospitals. In response to bereaved families’ requests, our hospital has introduced a discharge system that allows families to choose whether to leave through the main entrance or through other entrances, aiming to improve the discharge experience.