[Home care problems of new long-term care insurance in Japan]

The Japanese government will start new long term care insurance for the elderly in the year 2,000, which will completely change care systems for institutionalized and non-institutionalized patients, will need to be established. Frail patients will be assessed through municipal government. Physical or mental disability will be determined by six different grades and patients will get different services for each grade. The key person in handling this new long term care insurance as new assessment tools. The attitude for candidates of care manager were surveyed: 41% think that the quality of care will improve with this new system; 89% think the medical aspect of the care of the elderly will change. A nurse station in each local area will be requested first. In conclusion, the new long term care insurance will change the care of the elderly and the quality of services. The support of Geriatricians will be needed in this new care system.