COMPLETION REPORT
Care Models for Elderly People in Japan. Experiences and Applicable Ability to Vietnam
Dr. TRAN Thi Nhung
Senior Researcher
Institute for Northeast Asian Studies

As a country influenced by Confucianism, the Japanese elderly care was previously theresponsibility of the family. However, the social and economic changes adversely affected on theelderly life, such as the increasing proportion of elderly people, shrinking family size, and increasing
number of women actively participating in the labor market, due to rising economic difficulties,
women can no longer stay home to take care of the elderly, have made Japanese elderly care become
big problem. In order to solve this problem, Japan implemented long term care insurance since 2000 toreduce care burden on families through socializing elderly care. Thanks to various effective policies
and measures, the elderly care models in Japan are becoming increasingly diversified, in line with theincreasing diverse needs of the society in general, and for the elderly in particular. Japanese elderly
people are cared for at home, in facilities or at Group home by professional care providers and have topay a part of the total service cost (the remaining cost is paid directly to the service providers orInstitutions by insurance companies).
Home-based Care model is the most preferred. After the establishment of long term careinsurance. Home-based care services are devised to support the daily lives of the elderly such as nursing
care, long-term care, bathing for patients, day rehabilitation, day care, etc. Whereas Institutional care,nurture elderly people in need of long term care whose families are not eligible for care. This is a place
to provide shelter, rehabilitation, long-term care, even to the end of life, for the elderly people. Thesefacilities are often diverse to meet the needs, have different levels of care, depending on economic
ability of the elderly.
Group home model was developed in Japan due to the increasing rate of the elderly withdementia. Group home is designed and constructed as a single family home, suitable for people withdementia to help them live as comfortable as can be at home. The elderly people living at group homereceive appropriate care, be encouraged to have high self-esteem and their privacy are respected. As aresult, the morbidity of people living at group homes is reduced and the quality of life is improved.
Vietnam is experiencing a rapid aging population and facing many problems in caring for theelderly. Although Vietnam and Japan have differences, there are also similarities which can help
Vietnam learn from the Japanese experiences in caring for the elderly. These include, establishing longterm care insurance, home and institutional care improvement and building group homes for the elderlywith dementia.

Publication of the Results of Research Project:
Verbal Presentation (Date, Venue, Name of Conference, Title of Presentation, Presenter, etc.)

Thesis (Name of Journal and its Date, Title and Author of Thesis, etc.)
2 research papers were published in Vietnam Review of Northeast Asian Studies (in Vietnames):-Tran Thi Nhung, Mô hình chăm sóc lâu dài cho người cao tuổi Nhật Bản (Long Term Care Models for
the Elderly in Japan), Vietnam Review of Northeast Asian Studies, No 4 (194), Hanoi, April 2007.

Abstract: The aging population and its consequences have become a matter of primary concern inJapan as the social and economic changes adversely affect the lives of the elderly. In order to improve
the quality of life of the people, create stability and develop society, Japan has always paid special
attention to the elderly care. This article analyzes the development of long-term care models (homebased, community based care and preventive care) for the elderly in Japan since the introduction of thelong term care insurance. It also looks into the successes and challenges facing Japan in order toaddress the weaknesses in the long-term care for the elderly.
-Tran Thi Nhung, Kinh nghiệm đảm bảo an sinh xã hội cho người cao tuổi ở Nhật Bản có thể áp dụngvào Việt Nam (Experiences about social security for the Japanese elderly applicable in Vietnam), Vietnam
Review of Northeast Asian Studies No 6 (196), Hanoi, Jun 2007.

Abstract: Japan is currently the most developed country in the world with the highest proportion ofelderly people and is well experienced in addressing issues related to aging. Vietnam is a developing
country with relatively fast aging population. Therefore, so many issues related to ensuring socialsecurity for the elderly should be addressed. Although there are differences between Japan andVietnam, some experiences dealing with the issues of social security for the elderly in Japan such as
the experience of implementation of universal health insurance and pension, long-term care insurance
and elderly welfare; by stabilizing the social security fund, ensuring material and spiritual life for theelderly; building Group home model for people with dementia is worthy of study and be applied in
Vietnam.
Book (Publisher and Date of the Book, Title and Author of the Book, etc.)