INTEREST GROUP SESSION - ABUSE, NEGLECT AND EXPLOITATION OF ELDERLY PEOPLE: WHAT’S HAPPENING 12 YEARS AFTER THE ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION LAW WAS IMPLEMENTED IN JAPAN?

It’s been 12 years since Japan enacted “the Act on the Prevention of Elder Abuse, Support for Caregivers of Elderly Persons and Other Related Matters,” which defines five different types of abusive and neglectful acts by caregivers in domestic settings, personnel of nursing care institutions and nursing care service providers. Although additional policy recommendations have accumulated since 2006, no amendments have been made yet to the law. This symposium first compares the Japanese elder abuse prevention law outcomes to other abuse prevention laws and their outcomes using data from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare. Second, an example of single, middle-aged unemployed abusive sons living their parents will be introduced highlighting the need for abusers to be financially independent and re-socialize them. Third findings from an on-going voluntary assurance of quality care activity for nursing care institutions aimed at reducing elder abuse are presented based on 3-years of data. Fourth and finally, findings from 14-years of experience with elder abuse prevention activities in Matsudo-city will presented, a new development for a unified reporting system will be introduced, and challenges to implement such a bold initiative will be discussed.