Well-being of the Elderly in Japan - OECD.org - OECD · Well-being of the Elderly in Japan Session 3c: Caring for the Elderly 4th OECD World Forum on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy:

Well-being of the Elderly in Japan

Session 3c: Caring for the Elderly

4th OECD World Forum on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy:

Measuring Well-Being for Development and Policy Making

New Delhi, India

October 18, 2012

Naoto Yamauchi, Ph.D. Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University

[email protected]

Human Resource for Elderly Care

Since the introduction of long-term care insurance

in 2000, various care providers have competed in

the growing care market in Japan.

Volunteers play important roles in providing

elderly care services as care workers and helpers

In Japan, paid volunteers, who receive small

stipend, are widely seen in the elderly care services

Copyright©2012 Naoto Yamauchi. All Rights Reserved.

Demand & Supply of Elderly Care

The elderly people tend to be first care service providers, then later care service recipients

Demand side: Increasing community demand for sufficient social welfare provision for the coming ageing society

Supply side: The elderly volunteers (mainly women) as potential human resources power in the private provision of public services

As time use and leisure activities of the elderly Volunteer participation in the second stage of life

Social capital, social cohesion, and wellbeing

Copyright©2012 Naoto Yamauchi. All Rights Reserved. 3

Participation Rate in Activities by Age

10.2% 12.8% 16.8% 21.4%

25.9% 30.6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

20s 30s 40s 50s 60s Over 70

Learning, Self-Education, and Training Sports

Hobbies and Amusements Travel and Excursion

Volunteer Activities

4

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication “Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities ” Japan Fundraising Association “Giving Japan 2011”


Higher Participation of Elderly Volunteers

10.3%

13.3% 14.9%

18.9%

23.0%

30.5%

10.1% 12.2%

18.7%

23.9%

28.7% 30.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s

All Men Women

5

Source: Japan Fundraising Association “Giving Japan 2011”

Future potential volunteers?


How happy you are?

On average 6.6, Two peaks at 5&8

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

0(v

ery

un

hap

py)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

(ver

y h

app

y)

no

an

swer

6

Current Happiness and

Desired Level of Happiness by Age

6.2

6.4

6.6

6.8

7.0

7.2

7.4

7.6

7.8

15-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-

Desired Current


Source: The Economic and Social Research Institute, Cabinet Office “the Quality of Life Survey FY2011”

Happiness, Marital Status, and Sex

Male Female



Happiness in the Future by Age

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

15-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-



Interdependent Happiness Scale,

Life Satisfaction, Happiness by Age

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

15-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-

Leve

l of

hap

pin

ess

Interdependent happiness scale Current level of happiness Life satisfaction



Volunteering & Well-being

6.9%

4.4%

19.2%

15.0%

62.7%

53.3%

61.8%

58.4%

25.9%

34.8%

15.1%

20.1%

4.5%

7.5%

4.0%

6.5%

Volunteered

Not volunteered

Volunteered

Not volunteered

Very satisfied Very unsatisfied

Very happy Very unhappy

Source: Japan Fundraising Association “Giving Japan 2011”


A Framework for Indicators

12

Socio-economic condition

•Basic needs

•Housing

•Parenting/Education

•Employment•Social system

Health

•Physical health

•Psychological health

Relatedness

•Lifestyle

•Family ties

•Bonding with community

•Closeness to nature

sustainability

Subjective well-being

Well-being

Life-stage Differences

• Determinants (or its impact) of well-being differ

among people according to their respective ages.

Life-stage differences are taken into consideration

13

Health Family, Family finances Friends

Children/Youth Adults Elderly

Indicators in Economic and Social Conditions

Basic Needs Housing Parenting/ Education Work Institution

Individual/ Household/ Community

Poverty rate, +7 indicators

Number of homeless, + 7 indicators

Educational attainment, +2 indicators

Undesirable non-standard employment, + 3 indicators

Trust in institutions (government), +4 indicators

Children/ Youth

Child poverty rate

Number of children who stay at home without adults after school.

School-life satisfaction, +4 indicators

Number of NEET, +3 indicators

Adult Personal bankruptcy

Satisfaction in parenting, +5 indicators

Job satisfaction, +5 indicators

Elderly

Number of self-neglect elderly +3 indicators

Participation rate in social activities

Number of indicators 14 9 13 15 5

14

Indicators in Physical and Mental

Health Physical health Mental health Relevant to both

Individual/

Household/

Community

Rate of long-term

illness

Suicide rate, +3

indicators

Longevity, +3

indicators

Children/

Youth

Infant, child

mortality rate +1

indicator

Number of child

abuse +2 indicators

Adult Number of

Depression

Number of reported

cases of Domestic

Violence +1

indicator

Elderly Activity of daily life,

+1 indicator

Age-specific incidence

of dementia Self-rated health

Number of

indicators ５９７

15

Indicators in Relatedness Lifestyle Personal Ties

Ties with

Community

Ties with

Nature

Individual/ Household/ Community

Free time, +3

indicators

Frequency of

contacts with family,

relatives, and friends

+4 indicators

Sense of self –

usefulness, +7

indicators

Reverence for

nature, + 4

indicators

Children/ Youth

Time allocation

among play,

school, learning,

and cram school

Ratio of children who

feel lonely

Number of socially

withdrawn, + 3

indicators

Adult Actually spent

paid leave

Households who do

not have relatives,

especially parents,

nearby

Frequency of

participation in

activities of NPO,

NGO, sports and

hobbies

Elderly Instrumental

Activity of Daily

Life(IADL)

Number of single-

person households

who do not have

relatives nearby

Number of indicators 7 8 13 5 16

Proposed Indicators for the Elderly Domain Factors Indicator

Socio-economic condition

Basic needs

Suicide rate

Lonely death rate

Ratio of people who fear lonely death

Anxiety for the life expenses in their late life

Employment Social participation rate (especially under 80 years old)

Health

Physical health Activity of Daily Living (ADL)

The number of bedridden elderly

Psychological health Occurrence rate of dementia

Physical health and Psychological health

Subjective evaluation of own health

Relatedness

Lifestyle Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL)

Family ties The number of elderly living alone without family staying nearby


Source: The Commission on Measuring Well-being “Measuring National Well-Being－Proposed Well-being Indicators－”

Discussion

The elderly people are relatively highly-motivated to

contribute for communities and society by participating

in activities such as giving and volunteering.

Their incentives and desire to work are fairy strong. The

older they become, the more they are willing to work not

just for finance and living but also for having meaningful

and purposeful life.

It is important to consider about how to develop a social

system in which encourage and coordinate the elderly

pro-social mindset, tapping into their knowledge,

experiences, and skills.

18 Copyright©2012 Naoto Yamauchi. All Rights Reserved.

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Well-being of the Elderly in Japan - OECD.org - OECD · Well-being of the Elderly in Japan Session 3c: Caring for the Elderly 4th OECD World Forum on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy: