Title: Roles and systems of day centres: elderly-case study of a moderately mountainous area in Japan

Authors: Tatsuya Nishino

Addresses: College of Science and Engineering, School of Environmental Design, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa, 920-1192 Japan

Abstract: The provision of housing for the elderly remains a key issue in every ageing society. In contrast, day centres for the elderly have not been given the same level of attention. However, day centres for the elderly are expected to play a more important role in global ageing populations, since keeping the care-needing elderly living in their own homes with proper care services has become part of the mainstream social care vision. Particularly in the kinds of under-populated and ageing areas that are increasing in ageing countries, the lack of day service provision causes direct inconvenience to elderly residents. Focusing on the case of a moderately mountainous area in Japan, where a care system centred on the public hospital has been established, in this paper the discussion focuses on systems of elderly care and the roles they play, by examining the overall picture of the elderly who use such centres.

Keywords: ageing society; underpopulated areas; moderately mountainous areas; Japan; day centres; elderly types; elderly care systems; facility roles; home living; old people; senior citizens; housing for the elderly; public hospitals.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2015.068069

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2015 Vol.7 No.1, pp.22 - 41

Published online: 31 Mar 2015 *

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