Office Workers Say, "Of Course We Should Care for Our Parents, But We Wish the Government Would Do More..."

Growing Calls for 'State and Society's Support Responsibility'
"Only Children Should Be Responsible for Parents" Perception Declines

Adults generally believe that they have a 'duty to support their parents,' but there is also a growing recognition that society and the state should share this responsibility.

"Supporting parents after retirement is natural... a child's duty, but also the state's responsibility"

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On the 23rd, Embrain Trend Monitor, a market research company, conducted a survey on attitudes toward 'parental support and cognitive impairment (dementia) of parents' among 1,000 salaried adults aged 19 to 59 nationwide.

First, 46.1% of all respondents evaluated that children have an obligation to support their parents. The reasons for financially supporting parents were often cited as it being a child's duty (47.4%, multiple responses allowed) and because they have received financial support from their parents until now (45.8%). Additionally, a considerable number recognized that if they have income, it is natural to provide living expenses (35.8%).

In particular, 69.5% of respondents answered that if their parents have no income, there is a need to provide a certain amount of financial support every month, indicating that they perceive the period after their parents' retirement as the time when support becomes necessary.

However, the perception that only children should be responsible for their parents is gradually weakening. A majority of respondents (88.5%) agreed with the opinion that "children naturally have the duty to support their parents, but it may be impossible if they are in financial difficulty."

Instead, voices emphasizing the responsibility of 'society' and the 'state' are increasing.

Only 10.7% responded that the responsibility for supporting parents lies entirely with the children, while 57.4% agreed that 'society' and the 'state' should be responsible rather than the children.

Supporting parents brings 'psychological and financial burdens'... but responses from the state and individuals are 'insufficient'

A significant portion of respondents expressed concerns that if their parents' health deteriorates, the psychological burden (79.1%) and financial burden (77.0%) of supporting them would be substantial, and the burden of having to take on parental support (58.7%) was also high.

In fact, when it comes to problems children face in supporting their parents, economic burdens such as living expenses (66.6%) and medical and nursing care costs (56.0%) were cited as top concerns.

Especially, worries about parents suffering from 'cognitive impairment' (dementia) were considerable (66.2%), but only 21.9% responded that they had prepared countermeasures.

Furthermore, while the issue of dementia care is recognized as a social problem that the state (government) should manage (71.5%), there is a high perception (62.8%) that they will not actually receive help from the state.

Embrain added, "It seems urgent to establish alternatives at the national level for (dementia care)."

People in their 50s say, "I will 'self-support'... but will support my parents until the end"

Meanwhile, the willingness for 'self-support' among parents was also found to be relatively high.

The majority of respondents showed a strong intention to prepare for their own old age by themselves rather than entrusting it to their children (92.0%). Also, 83.2% did not want to impose the duty of parental support on their children.

This tendency to avoid burdening their children was especially prominent among older adults in their 50s. However, in contrast, many respondents indicated that they would continue to provide financial support until their parents pass away (20s 54.4%, 30s 52.4%, 40s 56.4%, 50s 73.2%) and that they would fulfill their responsibilities no matter how difficult their financial situation (20s 39.2%, 30s 40.0%, 40s 38.8%, 50s 50.4%).

Embrain explained, "For older adults, it appears that they understand the responsibility of support from a complex perspective, fulfilling their roles as both parents and children amid changes in family structure and social values."