Japan experienced the retrenchment of the welfare state. The purpose of this study was to deepen the understanding of the impact these policy changes had on citizens’ organized activities. It focused on the 2016 revi...Japan experienced the retrenchment of the welfare state. The purpose of this study was to deepen the understanding of the impact these policy changes had on citizens’ organized activities. It focused on the 2016 revision of Long-Term Care Insurance （LTCI） system, which urged citizens to organize activities to support the frail seniors in their communities. Researchers conducted interviews in the Tokyo from February-March 2016. The subjects were six local officers in charge of LTCI implementation and 10 community members who led the voluntary activities organized as a response to the 2016 systemic revision. This study found that those leading voluntary activities were primarily baby boomers, who were born between 1947 and 1949. They were actively involved in “new voluntary activity movements” in the 1980s, as interacting with a wide range of citizens. However, as they reached the age of 65 or older, they became more focused on developing a comfortable space and collaborating with those similar to them： those who were college graduates, middle- to upper-class, and held white-collar jobs. The disparity based on income level seemed to be emphasized also because the way the 2016 revision of LTCI system was designed.展开更多
文摘Japan experienced the retrenchment of the welfare state. The purpose of this study was to deepen the understanding of the impact these policy changes had on citizens’ organized activities. It focused on the 2016 revision of Long-Term Care Insurance （LTCI） system, which urged citizens to organize activities to support the frail seniors in their communities. Researchers conducted interviews in the Tokyo from February-March 2016. The subjects were six local officers in charge of LTCI implementation and 10 community members who led the voluntary activities organized as a response to the 2016 systemic revision. This study found that those leading voluntary activities were primarily baby boomers, who were born between 1947 and 1949. They were actively involved in “new voluntary activity movements” in the 1980s, as interacting with a wide range of citizens. However, as they reached the age of 65 or older, they became more focused on developing a comfortable space and collaborating with those similar to them： those who were college graduates, middle- to upper-class, and held white-collar jobs. The disparity based on income level seemed to be emphasized also because the way the 2016 revision of LTCI system was designed.
