Difference in Elderly Care between US and Japan - Essay Example

Difference in Elderly Care between US and Japan Elderly Care is a challenge before the modern world as it requires a very sensitive approach and carewhich the younger generation finds as something difficult in their fast life. They are not always capable of treating their elders in proper way or providing them with physical and mental pleasure. It may be either caused due to their lack of time or their disinterest in treating them without thinking that the day or the next one has to face the same situation. Everyone needs care especially the elders. But do they get the deserved care though they crave for it Elderly health care involves great risk and needs good mentality to treat elders and should be regarded as one among the responsibilities of youngsters. Elderly Health Care in US and Japan become very important because of the increasing number of the elders in these countries and the fast growth of the country, even without having much time to spare for their family. One of the recent studies conducted in U.S. about the ratio of the elders points out that the number of elders in U.S. is estimated that "35.6 million people -12.2% of the population ...are 65 and older and by 2011, the baby boom generation will begin to turn 65, and by 2030, one in five people is projected to be age 65 and older." (Senior facts: Non medical in home care facts: Facts on aging, n.d). The given data points to the number of elders in U.S. and shows that their number covers 12.2% of the population. It also shows the necessity of giving great care to elders that their number is expected to be one in five people by 2030 which is not at all a lesser number. The United States contains less than five percent of the world's population and thirteen percent of its people are above the age of eighty. The growth rate of elderly population is considerably increasing day by day. It may double manifold in the coming years. It indicates the need for more activities to give assistance to the elderly people. When one analyzes the Elderly Care in U.S. and Japan it is understood that elderly care in these countries are different and U.S. stands much better among the two in Elderly Care. The United States has implemented many facilities for the elderly people especially for their health. An observation of U.S. health care reveals that the health care in United States is consistent with basic standards is largely unknown. One among the methods of elderly care in U.S. is Hospital Care. It is generally provided by physicians. They provide both inpatient and outpatient services. As the elders are in need of great care and concentration a group of doctors and nurses are needed to monitor them. These elderly patients who are admitted to the hospital are physically unstable and they need full time observation and care to maintain their physical as well as mental health. The hospital care is equipped with all the care taking measures so that the people who want to give a satisfactory care to their elderly relatives automatically turn to the Hospital Care facility. Another facility is that of the Nursing Home. The elderly people will have a facility where they are watched over by nurses and staff as well. Here they get help for all sorts of daily living activities. Say for example, they get food in correct time, get bathed and the pills that help them to sustain their health sound. They will also be fortunate to enjoy special services such as speech therapy or physical therapy here. But comparing to the general practice patients the physicians are less attentive to their elderly patients. Because of these drawbacks majority of the families select this facility as a last resort. So the Nursing Homes do not have a good reputation as a place to live. Home Care is another facility for the elderly group. All of us have zest to be in our home and be with our family members especially when we are physically down. The Home Care facility enables the elderly folks to fulfill their desire to stay in their homes as long as possible. The health care nurses facilitate the elderly an intermediate care. They come to their home and help them in doing their daily living activities. The elderly can also have the services like physical therapy, speech therapy health education and respiratory therapy. These home services are being supported by the Medicare. There are many factors that influence the process of caring elder people. The changes in Japanese family system are an important factor. As a result of the sudden growth of modern medical science and health care services the elderly began to live much longer in Japan but unfortunately the elderly care in Japan has not improved. One of the major reasons is that in Japan a large number of care givers take care of the old people without any reward. Another reason is the increasing number of bedridden elderly in Japan. The following statement rightly comments the state of elderly health in Japan. It says: "In Japan there are about 700,000 bedridden (or bed-bound) elderly in 1991. It is estimated about 5% of the elderly over 65 are bedridden elderly." (Yamanoi, 1993). Low standard of Geriatric hospitals play a significant role in the field of poor elderly care services in Japan. They give more emphasis on the privatization of elderly care because the people believe that the privatization of the elderly care will encourage the elderly care organizations and lead them to a tight competition likewise the quality of care would improve and the cost will be reduced. But the program became utter failure and the elderly care services reached its worst condition in Japan. At present the Japanese need a social service oriented model health care. Lack of care givers and social service, the number of bedridden elderly has been increasing day by day in Japan. The sick people lie on the bed everyday without proper care. They are not provided with the treatments given in United States or in other countries. Most of the people preferred care by the family but the rapid change of family system especially after the world war the Japanese realized the problems and the need of social service in the field of elderly care. Though there are many care givers in Japan to monitor elderly health care, they are not provided facilities or enough support from the government though the government of Japan has brought some programs for the welfare of elderly people. Government has adopted various short and long term policies for them. But most of these programs do not reach the destination or become fruitful to the elderly people. Rapid social and economic changes are taking place around the world, accompanied by large numbers of elderly in demand of care. The present society gains knowledge of the relationship between changing social institutions and the serious impact of these changes. There are many factors that influence the process of caring elder people. Cultural and social changes have brought various changes in elderly care. Especially the increase in population has been caused for a different approach towards elderly care and the elders. It becomes clear when the study states that "In the United States and Japan, social and demographic changes are placing pressure on men to become involved in elder care. In Japan, 15 percent of caregivers to the elderly are men compared with 28 percent in the United States." (Harris, & Long, 1999, p. 241-267). From the given study it is clear that when 28 percent of caregivers are there inn U.S. to take care of the elders, it is only 15 percent in Japan, which is not at all a favorable number in treating the elders. When comparing and contrasting the elderly care in U.S. and Japan it is seen that both the countries have adopted various measures for the betterment of elders. The number of elders is increasing in both the countries and the difference lies in their way or treatment. When the elders in U.S. get comparatively good facilities, in Japan it is denied for them, because of the privatization of medical field. Japan focuses on the family care of the elders while U.S. mostly depends on hospital facilities. There are cultural differences in the elderly care in U.S. and in Japan and "In both countries, all three generations agreed that care of the elderly is a family responsibility, but attitudes toward filial responsibility were more positive among the Americans than among the Japanese." (Campbell & Brody, 1985, p.584-592). As in other countries of the world, both in Japan and U.S. the responsibility to take care of the elders is vested on the family but the handling of elders are more perfect in U.S. when comparing with Japan. To conclude, one can see that the Elderly Care in U.S. and Japan is different and U.S. stands much better among the two in Elderly Care. U.S. has the consistency in elderly care and they mainly focus on hospital care than the home care. But Japan focuses on the family health care system though there are different hospitals. Nursing homes are common in both the countries and many care givers are working for elderly care in Japan. The low standard of hospitals and privatization are the main problems of elderly care in Japan. Social and economical changes have caused for the backwardness of the elderly care in both countries and the increase of population was the main reason for this lack of proper elderly care. The other problem is that of the aging of the care givers themselves. Most of the care givers are more than sixty years old and they feel difficulty to treat elders of 80 or above. It is to be noted that the number of elders are expected to reach higher levels in the following years. So, if there is no proper care in this field it may lead to massive disappearance of the elders from the earth which will lead to social and cultural problems. References Campbell, Ruth., & Brody, Elaine M. (1985). Women's changing roles and help to the elderly: Attitudes of women in the United States and Japan. The Gerontological Society of America, 25 (6), 584-592. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from http://gerontologist.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/25/6/584 Harris, Phyllis Braudy., & Long, Susan Orpett. (1999). Husbands and sons in the United States and Japan: Cultural expectations and caregiving Experiences. Journal of Aging Studies, 13 (3), 241-267. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6W51-3YGTMNM-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=2419227d4c70b917cd9d0e8418ba6aa7 Senior facts: Non medical in home care facts: Facts on aging. (n.d.). Uniquely senior. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from http://www.uniquelyseniors.com/gpage1.html Yamanoi, Kazunori. (1993). The care for the elderly in Sweden and Japan: 700,000 "bedridden" elderly. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from http://www.wao.or.jp/yamanoi/report/lunds/1&2.htm Read More