From 1920 to 1955, the average size of a Japanese household remained around the level of five people. This number was high because people had many children and because three generations of a family often lived in a single home. But this number is gradually shrinking. The number of households where all members are aged 60 or over, on the other hand, is on the rise. In particular, the number of married couples and women living alone aged 60 or over grew by quite a bit.
Some senior citizens receive nursing care in their own homes.