By TOMOE ISHIKAWA/ Staff Writer
December 26, 2022 at 19:13 JST
A building that houses the health ministry in Tokyo’s Kasumigaseki district (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Elder abuse by care workers at nursing facilities reached an all-time high in fiscal 2021, according to a health ministry survey.
The survey uncovered 739 cases of abuse over the course of the fiscal year, up 24.2 percent from the previous year.
It compiled the data by collecting reports from local governments across Japan, which it has done every year since fiscal 2006.
Consultations and reports of abuse also reached a record high of 2,390 cases, a 14-percent increase from fiscal 2020.
The ministry said it believes one of the reasons for the increase is that it has been encouraging people to report cases of abuse and seek help.
It found 1,366 elderly people were abused and two died.
Most suffered from physical abuse. With multiple answers allowed, 51.5 percent reported some form of physical abuse.
Psychological abuse followed at 38.1 percent, and then neglect of care at 23.9 percent.
A staggering 332 people reported having their bodies restrained.
When asked about factors that likely caused the abuse, 56.2 percent of respondents cited problems related to caregivers’ education, knowledge and nursing-care skills.
Nearly 23 percent saw staff experience problems related to stress and controlling their emotions, while 21.5 percent cited a workplace culture that encourages abuse.
Special nursing homes accounted for the largest number of cases at 228, or 30.9 percent, followed by private nursing homes at 218, or 29.5 percent.
The ministry added regular training on abuse prevention for caregivers to its standards for operating elderly-care facilities in fiscal 2021. It plans to make the training compulsory starting fiscal 2024.
There were also 16,426 cases of elder abuse by family members, relatives and those who live with the elderly. That marked a 4.9 percent drop from fiscal 2020--the first decrease in two years.
But 37 elderly people died, up 12 from fiscal 2020.
Abuse by sons accounted for 38.9 percent, followed by husbands at 22.8 percent and daughters at 19 percent.
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