A Current Status of Care Plans for Independent Excretion in Japan’s Long-term Care Insurance Services

抄録

To clarify the current status of care plans for independent excretion in Japan’s long-term care insurance services, a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted, involving care planners working regularly in long-term care/welfare facilities or home care support offices throughout Japan. The questionnaire consisted of questions regarding care plans to achieve/maintain independent excretion. The rate of creating excretion care plans for facility users was significantly higher in long-term care/welfare facilities compared with home care support offices(p<0.01). Among the contents of information collected to create care plans for independent excretion, ‹the frequency of urinary incontinence›, ‹bowel movements›, and ‹purgative use› were examined significantly less frequently in home care support offices(p<0.01), while ‹discharge destination› was confirmed significantly more frequently in long-term care facilities(p<0.01). The rate of considering ‹discharge destination› as an important factor for independent excretion was significantly higher in long-term care facilities(p<0.01). Thus, the status of care plans for independent excretion and contents of information collected on such plans varied according to the type of service. The results indicate the necessity of enhancing care planners’ awareness, educating them focusing on functional recovery as part of practical skill education, and incorporating the learning of care management methods, covering support for independent excretion, into senior CM training to promote independent excretion care in Japan’s long-term care insurance services.