It is estimated that Japan will face a shortage of one million senior care employees by the year 2025. This is a huge deficit in one of the world’s major economies, but it makes sense that this is happening. Japan has a very different culture when it comes to caring for loved ones than what we face in the U.S., but even with this different culture, the basic facts of population growth remain the same.
There is a growing need for the expansion of care all across the world. Luckily, this has become highly visible over the last several years. The attention that the care industry has received has become a center focal point of discussion in many arenas.
Unfortunately, the cost of care is also going up along with the need for it. For example, Japan saw a 4.4 percent increase in the cost of in-home care, a 6.2 percent increase in assisted living costs, and a 3.0 percent rise in the cost of nursing homes between 2019 and 2020. This was pre-pandemic. These numbers are likely to rise over time because of inflation, but this doesn’t make it any easier for the elderly to access these things. Measures are needed to address both the rising need of care AND the rising costs.
In Japan, senior care has not been given the same attention that American and European cultures have poured into it. Traditionally, senior care took place inside the house in Japan and was always administered by family members. As the needs of the population change, and as awareness of what other cultures focus on grows, this is starting to shift in Japan. The need for professional care is becoming more apparent. Although there are systems and customs in place when it comes to care, traditions are adopting other practices when it comes to senior care, such as the inclusion of in-home caregivers and outside facilities, like nursing homes, when it comes to helping the elderly. This isn’t a bad thing; it provides families in Japan with more options so that they can better serve the ones they love.
This is why the expansion of senior care in the U.S. is so important, too. While there are various estimates out there of how much the care industry needs to grow to accommodate the needs of the elderly here in the U.S., the fact that more care workers are needed is undeniable. Because of the growing senior population and the changes occurring in the care industry itself, this is a time where more attention is needed in the care sector than ever before. It’s true in Japan, the U.S., and across the globe. Our older community members deserve this positive change.
We’d love to help you navigate the world of senior care. This is exactly why we offer a free consultation session to those who are looking to learn more about care and how their family might benefit from it. Please feel free to give us a call to get the conversation rolling. One of our professional caregivers would be happy to answer your questions and help you get started finding exactly the right care for your older loved one.
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