In Japan, You Can Trustfully Leave Dementia Parents Overnight for 30,000 Won [Turning My Home into a Senior House]

A Place to Entrust Parents with Dementia for a Day Without Worry
Caring for the Elderly in a Home-like Space Instead of a Strange Nursing Home
'Small-scale Multifunctional Homes' Care for About 10 Seniors a Day
Small Size Allows Staff to Provide Detailed Care
Even Hospital Accompaniment and Emergency Overnight Stay Services Available
Helping Elderly Patients Continue Living in Their Own Homes

A view of the small multifunctional home "Wagaya" (わがや·Our Home) located in a residential area of Midori Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on December 20 last year. Photo by Yujin Park

"Mom, please stay here just for one night. I am having a minor surgery today. I will come to pick you up as soon as I am discharged tomorrow morning."

Mr. Tsurumi Hirakawa (67), who lives in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, held his elderly mother's hand tightly. His mother, Suzuki Chiyo (91), blinked a couple of times instead of responding. Mr. Tsurumi had to stay overnight in the hospital for leg surgery at the end of last year. Although he was worried about his mother who suffers from dementia, fortunately, he was able to leave her at 'Wagaya' (わがや, meaning "Our Home"), which is just a 5-minute drive from their house.

Facilities like Wagaya are called 'Small-scale multifunctional homes' in Japan. Mr. Tsurumi said, "Usually, I left my mother there only during the day, but when it was urgent, they said they could take care of her at night as well, so I felt relieved." The cost is relatively affordable at about 3,000 yen (approximately 28,000 KRW) per night.

A Care Space Like a Neighbor Instead of a Strange Nursing Home

On December 23 last year, Haruko Matsushita (91) was playing with puzzles at 'Wagaya' (わがや·Our Home), a small multifunctional home located in a residential area of Midori Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Photo by Yujin Park

'Small-scale multifunctional homes' are places that care for elderly people in a home-like environment. There are 5,248 such facilities across Japan. In Nagoya City, where Mr. Hirakawa lives, 79 locations are in operation?roughly the same number as high schools in the area. Anyone eligible for long-term care insurance (Japan's nursing care insurance for the elderly) can use these services. They even provide hospital accompaniment and emergency overnight stay services. At Wagaya, three nurses are stationed so elderly residents can receive simple medical services.

Wagaya, located in a residential area of Midori Ward, Nagoya City, looks like an ordinary house from the outside. The interior is not much different. Haruko Matsushita (91) calls this place "another home." She stays here three times a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., eating meals and chatting with peers.

On days when she is too ill to come even with a walker, a care worker visits her home to assist with meals and provide companionship. Ms. Matsushita, who was born and raised in Midori Ward, lives in a detached house with her son and daughter-in-law. "When my son and daughter-in-law go to work, I am alone at home, but when I come to Wagaya, I have friends and I am not lonely. It’s like having two homes for me."

The Power of 'Small-scale' That Nagoya Focuses On

About a 15-minute drive from Midori Ward, in Minami Ward, there is another small-scale multifunctional home called 'Mouyaiko' (もうやいこ, meaning "All Together"), which was created by renovating a vacant house. The registered capacity is up to 18 people, with about 10 users per day. Because of its small size, staff can take care of the elderly in detail. They know better than the children where the elderly often feel pain, what medications they take, and what kind of care they need.

Manager San Takumi said, "80% of the elderly using our service live alone and suffer from dementia. Our role is to help dementia patients continue living in their own homes." The meal cost is 600 yen (about 6,000 KRW) per meal, and additional fees apply for services such as walks, medical care, and hobbies. The overnight stay fee is about 3,500 yen (approximately 30,000 KRW) per night.

On December 23 last year, Mr. Kazunai Ono (90) was reading a newspaper at 'Mouyaiko' (もうやいこ·Modu Oullim), a small multifunctional home located in Minami-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Mr. Ono visits this place five times a week during the daytime. Photo by Yujin Park

Nagoya City is focusing on increasing the number of small-scale multifunctional homes so that elderly people can continue living at home. 'Mouyaiko' was created in 2006 by purchasing a building that was almost a vacant house for 1 million yen (about 9.5 million KRW) from local residents and the Minami Medical Cooperative (the operating corporation of 'Mouyaiko'), and renovating it with an investment of 13 million yen (about 122 million KRW). Nagoya City supported a significant portion of the renovation costs.

The operation method tailored to the elderly’s perspective is also well-organized. They assign nutritionists and rehabilitation trainers to provide personalized meals and treatments, and check on users when they do not come to the facility.

Professor Yayoi Saito of the Department of Human Sciences at Osaka University said, "In Japan, the number of elderly living alone continues to increase, so there is a high demand for home services. Nagoya City's policy helps elderly people continue living at home and also reduces the caregiving burden on families."