What Needs to Be Done to Prevent Elder Abuse in Japan?

Chair(s)

• 

  TsuAnn Kuo, PhD, FGSA

  Associate Professor
  Medicine
  Chung Shan Medical University
  South District, Taichung, Taiwan (Republic of China)

Discussant(s)

• GA

  Georgia Anetzberger, Ph.D, NASW, FGSA

  Consultant, Elder Abuse and Adjunct Faculty
  Medicine and Applied Social Sciences
  Case Western Reserve University
  Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Individual Symposium Abstract First Author(s)

• NT

  Noriko Tsukada, PhD, MGS

  Professor
  College of Commerce
  Nihon University
  Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
• 

  Tadashi Wada, MD

  Medical Doctor
  Department of Home Care Medical Services
  Irahara Primary Care Hospital
  Matsudo City, Chiba, Japan
• 

  Hitoshi Suda, MA

  Associate Professor
  Department of Social Work
  SEITOKU University
  Matsudo city, Chiba, Japan

This symposium first introduces the Japanese Act on the Prevention of Elder Abuse, including its elder abuse definitions and trends in elder abuse in both institutional and domestic settings. It then describes a recent amendment to operational standards made by ministerial ordinance, which aims to reduce elder abuse. Second, it presents analysis of elder abuse data (N=497) from Matsudo-City in Chiba prefecture, which found that only about 65% of reported elder abuse cases were deemed to meet the legal definition of elder abuse and the rest were excluded due to how the law defines abusers. Findings suggest the definitions in the Act be broadened to encompass a wider set of abuse situations. Third, it presents analysis using the same data, of characteristics of abusers. Findings indicate that about 24% of abusers were caregivers with disabilities, suggesting the importance of supporting caregiver health and welfare to help prevent abuse. The symposium concludes by presenting findings from a longitudinal survey of older adults aged 75+ (N=769) indicating that physical restraints use is associated with “having been diagnosed as intractable neurological diseases,” “unstable general condition or at the terminal stage,” “higher levels of care-need,” “having medical treatment,” and “family members’ long-term care burdens.”

Presentations:

• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  A New Step to Prevent Elder Abuse in Japan
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Noriko Tsukada, PhD, MGS – Nihon University
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Detection of Elder Abuse in Japan Not Covered by the Elder Abuse Prevention Law in Comparison with WHO Definition
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Tadashi Wada, MD – Irahara Primary Care Hospital
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

  Need for Support for Persons with Disabilities in Elder Abuse
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Hitoshi Suda, MA – SEITOKU University