INQUIRIES: Nursing Care Insurance Division Tel 076-443-2041
Japan is really now an aging society, the number of elderly people who require Kaigo is rapidly increasing, the period of Kaigo is becoming longer, and the average age of those who provide Kaigo to the elderly is rising.
There is a Kaigo-Hoken (Insurance for care and assistance for the elderly) system to cope with this situation.
This system is for those who have addresses in the city and are over age 40. They will pay premiums and thus support Kaigo activities in cooperation with the entire community by bearing the cost of the Kaigo service equally.
If you want to receive services from the Kaigo-Hoken, you must join Kaigo-Hoken. Any one over age 40 may join. Then application may be made by you or your family in principle to your municipal government office for eligibility to get Yo-Kaigo Nintei (your municipal government’s official recognition). When you use Kaigo Services, you will bear 10% of the cost of the service in principle.
Those Who Can Receive Kaigo-Hoken Services.
Type 1: All persons aged 65 and over who
① need Kaigo at all times because, for example, of a bedridden condition or senile dementia (those who are in a “Yo-Kaigo [requiring Kaigo] condition”).
② do not need Kaigo at all times but need assistance with daily activities, such as a house work and dressing (those who are in a“Yo-Shien [requiring assistance ] condition”).
Type 2: All persons aged 40 to 64 who come to be in a Yo-Kaigo condition or in a Yo-Shien condition because of one of 16 diseases that are attributed to aging, such as dementia in those past middle age and cerebrovascular diseases.
Types of Services Provided Under the Kaigo-Hoken System.
You will be assigned a Yo-Kaigo-do [the degree of Kaigo needed] according to your condition.
You can receive services of Yo-Shien or Yo-Kaigo as follows:
・Service provided at home (both Yo-Shien and Yo-Kaigo are eligible)
① Visit to your house
(Visit by home-helper, etc)
② Day care service
(Services at day-care center, etc)
③ Short stay in a nursing institution
④ Loans and financial assistance for the purchase of care equipment and financial assistance for house repairs, etc.
・Services provided in a residential institution.
(Only Yo-Kaigo is eligible.)
