AimThe aim of our study was to investigate factors associated with burnout of nurses and care workers in nursing homes and geriatric hospitals in Japan. The use of Buddhist priests, the major religion in Japan, was also explored.MethodsQuestionnaires for nurses and care workers were sent to 10 care facilities. The survey questions included basic demographic information, the Japanese Burnout Index and the Japanese version of the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care Of Dying Scale Form B. They also asked questions about use of Buddhist priests for tasks such as helping to manage the anxiety or distress of patients, families, and staff, or providing sutra chanting.ResultsIn total, 323 questionnaires were returned, of which 260 were used for analysis. Only 18 (6.9%) answered that they had any religious beliefs, which was relatively low compared to 27% from governmental survey data. In total, however, 71% expressed a need for Buddhist priests to help with anxiety or distress among patients. A positive attitude towards providing end-of-life care was a protective factor against depersonalization. It was, however, also related to lower feelings of personal accomplishment.ConclusionCare homes and geriatric hospitals may want to consider calling more on religious resources as a support for staff and patients.

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Frailty is common in older patients with heart failure (HF) and is associated with increased risk of mortality. 1,2 In particular, it is important to characterize frailty in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), as HFpEF is predominantly a disorder of older patients. However, an established frailty approach in HFpEF is lacking, and the relationship between frailty and outcomes in patients with HFpEF has not yet been evaluated.Wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosisLetters to the Editor -Research Studies

Aim Faith-based organizations are a potential global resource; however, details of their activities have not been fully explored in the academic literature. In Japan, little is known about delivering support for dementia caregivers in a faith-based setting. In this study, we spoke with priests who started carers’ cafés to support people who have dementia and people who care for them. These “carers’ cafés” are set up in temples and this movement is slowly expanding. The aim of this study was to (1) provide a detailed description of a carers’ café and (2) report the reflections of the Buddhist priests who have been involved in the project from the beginning. Methods We conducted in-depth interviews with five Buddhist priests who pioneered the carers’ café movement, and conducted a thematic analysis of the transcripts using a qualitative descriptive approach. Results Six prominent themes were identified: “A carers’ café aligns with Buddhist doctrine,” “...reveals the strengths of Buddhism and its temples,” “...facilitates priests’ personal growth,” and “...introduces viewpoints from outside of Buddhism.” Conclusions Carers’ cafés set up in temples have a positive impact on the Buddhist priests who are involved and on the visitors. One possible reason for this is that the relationship between the temple and the local residents has a long history and thus provides a sense of security for those who are suffering from the realities related to dementia. To create a more inclusive society, it is necessary for secular entities to support this new movement.

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