Japan places a very high value on family when it comes to senior care. Younger family members are often given the task of caring for older family members. Although medical care is present, it is not as highly utilized as it is in the U.S. Seniors are treated as respected and valued members of the family, and it often is not viewed as inconvenient for younger individuals to drop what they are doing to help an older family member with care.
The nursing home model that many of us are all too familiar with is often a foreign concept in Japan. While these facilities do exist, they are not nearly as populous as they are in the U.S. Nursing homes are seen by many as a place where people that have given up on their families go. The cultural context of family-centered care is strong enough that the fact that nursing homes do provide an important role in the care chain is sometimes overlooked.
There are certainly exceptions to these general rules. Some have points of view similar to what we find in the U.S., but not everyone. And it’s worth noting that not all families that utilize family care are doing what’s best for seniors. These are just trends.
What works and what doesn’t work in senior care all across the world is worth taking note of. Although we have seen great success in providing care here with the in-home model, we know that there is always room for improvement. We know that there are always going to be things that we can do better.
And this is exactly what we should be doing because you and your family deserve the best care possible. If this can be achieved by studying at looking at elements of care that are successful in other parts of the world, then that’s how it needs to be. Countries like Japan often place a huge cultural emphasis on family, so it’s no surprise that family care and in-home care have a higher priority here. That’s not to say that Japan’s model of senior care is perfect; there are definitely areas of this care that can be improved upon. It’s important that we see both what works and what doesn’t so that we can continue to improve how we serve the people in our community.
We’re here to help. Your family is important to us, but we know that your family is even more important to you. That’s why we go that extra mile to try and ensure that your family is getting the very best care possible. Sometimes in-home care will be the best choice for you, but not always. When it’s not, we want to assure you that we are still here. We can help get you pointed toward the best local resources for the next step when it comes to care. Everyone is different and what works for some won’t work for all. Be assured that we won’t quit on you just because we aren’t the ones providing care service. When families do well, we all thrive.
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