Article Abstract:
Japan's health service policy overemphasizes services for disabled elderly and ignores preventive health services for the healthy elderly. The Japanese elderly are functionally quite healthy, which indicates the need for introducing preventive health programs. The eligibility criterion for health and welfare services are suitable for the disabled population but inappropriate for the healthy elderly. The outline of a health education program may include propagation with a booklet, on-the-job training of practitioners, curriculum development and community involvement.
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Article Abstract:
Japan's financing of the growing cost for elderly health care poses a major challenge for the nation's future social policy. The larger older population and the subsequent demographic change will increase the health care expenditure in future. The health insurance system fails to promote equal sharing of the financial burden among different insurance groups. The lack of financial reserve and the financial burden for future may require the nation to sustain health care for the elderly within a limited budget.
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Article Abstract:
The large aging population and the economic recession have caused the Japanese government to establish new health and social care insurance scheme for the elderly for a cost-effective financing of health care. The aging population results in issues related to inter-generational social justice. Policy makers should consider further cutbacks in pension benefits, increase in the charges to consumers for health insurance and personal social services, and deregulation of services to private providers.
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