Long-term care for the elderly in Japan

Abstract

This article, using data from the first author's research, presents selected issues in long-term care (LTC) of the elderly in Japan. A brief discussion of historical and cultural factors frame the current realities of LTC. These realities include the vast numbers of elderly people in Japan, changing definitions of the relationship of the individual to the group, and enactment of the new Care Insurance Law for the Elderly to be implemented in the year 2000. Some of the work underway for this implementation is detailed.