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National Long Term Custodial Care Insurance ("Kaigo-Hoken") for the Elderly in Japan: How it is implemented
With the ever shrinking younger population due to the record low birth rate, and the society moving away from the traditional system of multi-generations living together, more elderly are living alone into their advanced age, or forced to move to institutions. Some lucky ones continue to live with family members, but often with a heavy burden on younger family members.
It has been fourteen years since the national government of Japan enacted “Kaigo-Hoken”, a mandatory, universal long term custodial care insurance system. The main goal of this national insurance policy is to establish a care system that encourages independent living of the elderly, reducing the number of the institutionalized, while sharing the elderly care burden of the family with the general society.
Through continuous adjustments, the Kaigo-Hoken insurance system, has survived well for the last 14 years and has contributed to significant improvement in the care of the elderly and their general welfare.
This presentation aims to describe the key elements of Kaigo Hoken, the government and private collaboration for smooth operation of elderly care, for both institutionalized as well as for the elderly who live at home. The presentation includes examples from two communitites, one urban and one rural.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelinesPublic health or related public policy
Learning Objectives:
Describe the main features of the National Long term custodial care insurance by the Japanese government.
Describe how the National Long Term Custodial Care Insurance is implemented in two sample communities.
Keyword(s): Long-Term Care, Health Law
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been collecting documents and directly observing the current situation of the long term care policies and programs implemented in Japan, for the last 14 years.
I have done this, as a private academician with no ties to any industry, nor outside funding.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.