--- --- # Aging & Elderly Care in Japan and the US  Populations across the globe are aging rapidly. With advances in medicine and positive, early behavioral changes, such as a healthy diet, non-smoking and staying active, more of us are living longer. Population aging and the increasing proportion of elderly in society means we can’t keep doing the same things we’ve always done in our approach to aging and the elderly. How we structure retirement and working, the health and long-term care systems, housing, services such as transport, and even cities themselves, will have to be radically reconfigured. Japan, the first country to experience rapid aging, has the longest life expectancy at 84.4 years in the world (compared to an OECD average of 81 years), and the percentage of Japanese who are over 65 years of age is currently the highest at 28.4%, compared to the [OECD average](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.oecd.org/japan/health-at-a-glance-Japan-EN.pdf "undefined") of 17.3%. The US, by comparison, has not aged as quickly, but is catching up and is starting to face some of the issues that Japan has grappled with for the last few decades. The US’s proportion of over 65s is currently sitting around [17% of its population](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/Profile%20of%20OA/2021%20Profile%20of%20OA/2021ProfileOlderAmericans%5F508.pdf "undefined"). But this is set to dramatically increase in the near future, with that figure [expected to rise](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/Profile%20of%20OA/2021%20Profile%20of%20OA/2021ProfileOlderAmericans%5F508.pdf "undefined") to 22% by 2040, and even more stark, by 2050 almost [1 in 8 US citizens](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12281725/ "undefined") will be 80 years or older.  #### The Relationship Between Elderly Employment and Health All societies have, for the most part, historically taken care of the elderly as they age. But attitudes to aging have developed differently. And these attitudes have determined the development of behaviors, systems and processes around everything from a country’s approach to labor force participation and retirement to their long-term healthcare policies. For instance, keeping the elderly in the workforce, fit and healthy for as long as possible, and leading meaningful and purposeful lives, has emerged as key goals across OECD countries such as Japan and in Europe. Retirement ages in many western countries such as Germany and the UK have been [extended](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.oecd.org/g20/topics/global-health/G20-report-promoting-healthy-aging.pdf "undefined") so as to encourage labor force participation by the elderly and delay pension fund payouts. While the US has debated extending the retirement age, so far no move has been made to do so. Still, data from as recent as 2019 show that [more than 20 percent](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.aarp.org/work/employers/americans-working-past-65/ "undefined") of American adults over age 65 were either working or looking for work, compared with 10 percent in 1985. Japan, however, has the [highest effective retirement age](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.dw.com/en/how-japan-keeps-its-elderly-employed-and-active/a-59516633 "undefined") of any OECD nation after successively raising it over the last few decades. This means that many Japanese elderly choose to [continue to work](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.jil.go.jp/english/jli/documents/2022/039-04.pdf "undefined") even after the time at which they are eligible to receive the pension. And many countries, such as Japan, also officially encourage companies to [retain their elderly workers](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.jil.go.jp/english/jli/documents/2022/039-04.pdf "undefined").  Labor force participation is intimately connected to elderly health and, by extension, healthcare and long-term care. It results in multiple benefits to society. The elderly remain self-supporting through income and continue to be productive and feel useful to society. There is [less pressure](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.oecd.org/g20/topics/global-health/G20-report-promoting-healthy-aging.pdf "undefined") on the healthcare system as more active, healthy elderly are apt to need less healthcare for physical or mental ailments, and to delay the need for increasingly expensive long-term healthcare. And strained, rapidly depleting retirement funds receive some reprieve whilst governments and policy makers explore alternative methods to keep both pension funds and the healthcare system afloat, such as cutting benefits or raising premiums or copayments for health services – something the Japanese have recently done with the more wealthy having to [pay 20% copayment](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Health-Care/Japan-s-seniors-to-pay-bigger-share-of-medical-expenses-from-2022 "undefined"), instead of 10%. Universal Health Care (UHC) in Japan has historically meant less financial burden on the elderly and their families at a time of reduced income and increasing prevalence of chronic or debilitating illness. To a large extent, costs incurred outside the system have been absorbed by the relative wealth of Japan’s elderly who have been beneficiaries of generous company pension income resulting from lifelong employment. This situation is, however, changing as the labor market undergoes its own adjustments in light of labor shortages and the rising preponderance of non-regular workers who do not receive full company benefits. Nevertheless, for the most part Japanese elderly are not greatly out of pocket for healthcare or even their long- term healthcare needs which are covered by the country’s compulsory Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI) scheme. Conversely, despite the US having the [highest expenditure](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.debt.org/medical/senior-options-costs/ "undefined") on healthcare, many Americans, especially the elderly, either are not covered or [only partly covered](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.19.3.40?journalCode=hlthaff "undefined") – particularly when it comes to elderly care and assisted or long-term care. And many struggle to pay their medical bills or go bankrupt doing so. One recent study found, for instance, that more than half experience difficulties paying for healthcare and 41% are [carrying debt](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/americans-challenges-with-health-care-costs/ "undefined") due to lingering medical bills. American elderly who needs assisted living care are particularly vulnerable because this form of long-term care is not generally covered by Medicare or other elderly health programs such as Medicaid. It is reported that 86% of residents in assisted living facilities fund it themselves through their own assets and savings or, should they have it, [long-term care insurance](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.debt.org/medical/senior-options-costs/ "undefined"). One study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) found that a US couple retiring in 2017 at 65 years of age require USD$280,000 in savings [just to cover medical expenses](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.debt.org/medical/senior-options-costs/ "undefined") – not including long-term care or assisted living.  #### Making the Most of Being Elderly The big difference between the Japanese and the US approach to elderly healthcare is not simply generous pension provisions and universal healthcare (UHC). In Japan, long-term healthcare is at least in part driven by a desire to ensure a continuing quality of life in old age, and the system is set up to _optimize_ long life – not simply prolong it or ‘treat’ it. And that plays out in the nursing homes and assisted living facilities which are [government mandated](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.equaltimes.org/japan-s-care-sector-protects#.Y-jxs-zMKLp "undefined") to have in-house nutritionists, and practices such as strength training and cognitive stimulation, the adherence to seasonal changes, and the observance of cultural festivals and practices, are all designed to bring enjoyment as well as extend physical and cognitive functioning. It is also evident in Japan’s Community-based [Integrated Care System](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.ft.com/content/8b34dc97-6b0a-433a-b632-25ed53630d8c "undefined") – the effort to refocus resources from hospital- based care to a coordinated approach to help the elderly, especially those in need of long-term care, to continue to live in their homes and enjoy the mental and emotional benefits that it brings. There is an institutional as well as individual striving for dignity, respect, enjoyment, and life fulfillment in old age that is not so obvious in many western approaches such as those of the US. And it pays off - the very elderly [live longer](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.equaltimes.org/japan-s-care-sector-protects#.Y-jxs-zMKLp "undefined") in Japanese care facilities than their OECD counterparts. Long-term care necessitates the deployment of care workers. The lack of availability of care workers is a [global problem](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12281725/ "undefined") especially given that many elderly desire to age in-home, but also live alone. Where the elderly does live with family, a great deal of in- home care is being shouldered by a (usually female) family member. This is the case both in Japan and the US, but in Japan the structures are arguably more supportive. And it is largely unfunded, causing a [double financial burden](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=http://envejecimiento.csic.es/documentos/documentos/fujisawa-longterm-01.pdf "undefined") on families. Loss of income from both the elderly, who have left the workforce, and the informal care worker – who can’t hold down a job and perform the taxing labor of caring for elderly parents, compound the high cost of in-home care.  #### Adapting to an Aging World How we support the elderly is as much a moral issue as it is a practical one. Morally, it reflects our humanity and beliefs of equality, equity, and rights, as well as respect for all, irrespective of life stage. Practically, there is an urgent need, in light of the rapidly changing dynamics of aging societies, to redirect resources – labor, finance, innovation and technology – and reorient social structures like living and working arrangements to front-run the challenges that will reverberate through all levels of society, and from which it may prove difficult to recover if left unaddressed. Healthcare needs to adapt to an aging population, but so do our ideas on retirement and working. More specifically, we need to consider: * Focusing more resources on a community based long-term care approach to cater to the majority of elderly who live or wish to live at home in the US and other countries. * An increased focus on innovation and bringing to bear new technology to help overcome labor shortage, drive efficiencies, and improve safety in the system, and to empower the elderly to have more control over their environment. * More and better trained and compensated care workers, especially for the in-community elderly who in particular suffer mental or physical disability or who live alone. * Ways to increase funding and training of informal carers – [some countries in Europe](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/a25246a6-en.pdf?expires=1676197635&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=7F6D810BC454F9326AF6A4652C429664 "undefined") have made some headway on this. * New approaches to tackling the financing of healthcare head-on to relieve the financial pressure on families as well as the government, for instance, through models such as Japan’s [Long-term Care Insurance](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk?ntv%5Fat=4,29&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=-520417491&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=http://envejecimiento.csic.es/documentos/documentos/fujisawa-longterm-01.pdf "undefined") scheme. * Rethinking retirement and working, including deferring retirement age and extending the working lives of the elderly. * Finally, our attitude to aging and the elderly needs to evolve. We will need to jettison some of our preconceptions about what it means to be elderly to help us evolve how we support them in the long-term. **_SOMPO: Years Ahead_** [](https://jadserve.postrelease.com/trk.gif?ntv%5Fat=59&ntv%5Fui=676574b8-4239-45e0-973e-c49a17ea424a&ntv%5Fa=bU0IAiXBdAtV4SA&ntv%5Ffl=H8%5FNIX%5FfVs0Ik5QLWe2EYHNVaVl9Z%5FoPpSo7HNtthPuxnPMUinohHwEZVsC%5FKIvoC3marVAe04PLsb5gW1Ehsf%5Fl0qLRhx5oola1Ft7j8ixixLqAN5UqriZ-haQgJMQEAvYhInltLpqwOtADXb3VuRlx7peFJ0l5Bxru1o5YNRwkVBzrhuMI7Ma4MzvESEMLX8JoOU9igvWKu9PUt1HoKEC4yy-Pj0D5Stn2sNdhzxQFz%5FusvwJdf0PYtP9Lws6xbriAJOGXUgLjQTqL2WqNmzk3j2QHG9DyDyXqGi%5F2iWKjelQ5r2MNRshzqfll2IKGEqlEZj%5FbKZAKvlfzorqlyZQH2CwGnsJiNXNSGMqQBo9cmJbncGzcuM75r%5Frpz7D-VO6Ti8rjpJDE7EiuYibBJqNwFlgig12PJWlhYKw1qdtkvicXz-FbEYovKMZoYctwwDA2K5l6dmEF5a2Ai1VN5Pf2yU8NMlFQrgbUXD1FNPu1JbhZ0lukeT%5FanKkCUvAe96B57Uxlkw53lsHV4h-hLg==&ord=733757302&ntv%5Fht=KCIMagA&prx%5Fr=https://www.sompo-hd.com/en/company/brand/global%5Fbrand/) Aging & Elderly Care in Japan and the US ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/sompo-holdings/aging-elderly-care-in-japan-and-the-us/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/sompo-holdings/aging-elderly-care-in-japan-and-the-us/"},"headline":"Aging & Elderly Care in Japan and the US","datePublished":"2026-06-18T14:27:42.858Z","dateModified":"2026-06-03T16:16:23.721Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/sompo-holdings/aging-elderly-care-in-japan-and-the-us/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/sompo-holdings/aging-elderly-care-in-japan-and-the-us/","name":"Aging & Elderly Care in Japan and the US"}}]}] ```