The Care of the Elderly in Japan

The problems of an ageing population are particularly acute in Japan. These problems include people living longer, with many needing more care, and the problems of supporting them by a diminishing working population and a diminishing tax base. This book, based on extensive fieldwork in a Japanese institution for the elderly, explores the problems associated with ageing and responses to it in Japan. By looking at the institution from the viewpoints of residents, staff and visitors, as well as from the policy point of view, the book carefully assesses how far the home succeeds in offering an acceptable quality of life to the home’s residents. It gives insights into the life and work of long-term care institutions; discusses how people in Japan have changed their perceptions towards family responsibility, the institutionalisation of the elderly, and rights of welfare; and examines how institutions for the elderly are run in Japan and how their management differs from that in the West.