The service is provided either by the local government itself or by welfare organizations commissioned in advance. Furthermore, the quantity of welfare service that can actually be provided is limited. On the other hand, medical services are provided based on medical insurance, and patients can select the medical institutions where they would like to be treated. In contrast to welfare services, the income of patients is not reflected in the amount of expenses they pay for medical care. Today, however, very few hospitals specialize in long-term treatment.
Most medical institutions are hospitals responding to sudden illness or injuries.
Moreover, because medical expenses for the elderly will grow if they stay in hospitals for long periods, the financial health of the medical insurance system will face serious pressure. At the same time, growing attention is currently being paid to serious problems stemming from nursing care of the elderly by family members. This means that a very heavy burden is now placed on middle-age to elderly generations, especially on women. According to one survey, about one-third of family members who take care of the elderly have answered that they have experienced feelings of hate toward the elderly for whom they administer care. Furthermore, approximately half of them have answered that they have abused the elderly in some way.