A man in the foreground seeks housing advice in Tokyo on April 10, 2024. (Mainichi/Miyuki Fujisawa)
As Japan sees more and more people remaining unmarried, there is an urgent need to establish a support system for the expected greater number of elderly people without family members.
The Japanese government has updated the Guideline of Measures for Aging Society for the first time in six years. Notably, for the first time, the document addresses ‘support for elderly people without family members’, who tend to be isolated from society and slip through the cracks.
Behind these circumstances lies the large number of people who could not get married because they could not get a steady job during the so-called ’employment ice age’ after Japan’s economic bubble burst. This population segment is at risk of falling into poverty if they are dependent on a pension in their older years.
According to government statistics, just over 30% of men and 10% of women aged 65 and over in single-person households remain unmarried. By 2050, this figure is expected to rise to 60% for men and 30% for women.
Even some among those who have relatives and relatives are estranged from their relatives. The government also assumes that such people receive support, but it is still difficult to understand the whole story.
Without family members to turn to, it will be difficult for these individuals to obtain guarantors in the event of hospitalization or other situations. If their cognitive functions decline, they will have difficulty managing their own money. They must be provided with extensive life support.
Although there are also private companies that offer services to the elderly without relatives, only the wealthy can afford them. There are also reports of arguments over fees and the content of those services.
Support should essentially reach all people in need. Local governments should proactively look at measures that use health insurance and other public services.
For example, elderly people who live alone are often denied a move to a rental home. The government has implemented a system to secure housing for seniors so that they can live without such worries.
This financial year, some municipal authorities have started pilot projects with initiatives to provide comprehensive support to elderly residents without relatives. These measures include not only acting on behalf of the elderly in administrative procedures and managing their money in their daily lives, but also restoring their rooms to their original condition after their death. The government will identify the problems that need to be addressed and investigate whether it is possible to roll out such services nationally.
Older age policy in Japan has traditionally focused on families supporting their older members. The government must face the reality that this very premise is falling apart, and assess how the system should work.
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