Community supporters’ experiences of Team Orange, a community-based dementia support program in Japan: a qualitative content analysis

BACKGROUND: Team Orange is a Japanese national dementia initiative, established under the government's National Framework for Promotion of Dementia Policies. It connects people living with dementia (PLWD) and their families with trained community volunteers ("Orange Supporters") who provide practical daily assistance and foster local support networks. By 2023, the initiative had expanded to nearly 1,900 teams and 33,000 supporters nationwide. Despite this growth, the perceived benefits of these roles among Orange Supporters remain largely unexplored. This study examined the benefits of Team Orange through supporters' lived experiences in Sapporo, Japan. METHODS: A qualitative content analysis was conducted with 16 Orange Supporters recruited via purposive sampling from eight community hubs in Sapporo, Japan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between December 2024 and March 2025. Data collection and analysis continued until data saturation was reached. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified. The first, "Lessons learned in Team Orange by Orange Supporters," comprised four categories: (1) Respecting the personhood of PLWD and their families, (2) Understanding and supporting diverse needs, (3) Discovering the strengths of PLWD and their families, and (4) Promoting community inclusion through collaboration. The second theme, "Comprehensive benefits of Team Orange identified by Orange Supporters," included three categories: (1) Increased dementia awareness in daily life, (2) Empowerment through interdependent contribution, and (3) Enhanced emotional well-being from the activities. CONCLUSIONS: Team Orange appears to function as a platform through which supporters develop positive perceptions and practical skills for interacting with PLWD, while experiencing personal empowerment and enhanced emotional well-being. As a culturally embedded, policy-driven model unique to Japan, Team Orange offers transferable insights for the development of dementia-friendly community initiatives internationally, with implications for improving care, promoting social engagement, and reducing social isolation-related health risks among older adults.