Preventive Long-term Care Services and Community Resource:

Case Study of Establishment of Salon in X City, Miyagi Prefecture

Abstract

    Recent reviews of long-term care insurance service associated with a rapidly aging population have noted that preventive long-term care services have become increasingly important in Japan. Salons for older persons have been established across the country, especially for those with no opportunity to go out and experiencing declining physical ability. Previous studies have discussed salon activities as the voluntary and independent actions of neighborhood residents using the framework of community welfare studies. With the revision of the Long-Term Care Insurance Law in 2015, attention to community resources has become an issue today. This paper aims to examine the dissemination process of the preventive long-term care services, the researchers analyzed the process of setting up salons for older persons in each district. The researchers conducted visit surveys and interview surveys with representatives and members of all salons. The target project salon, Salon A, in X City, Miyagi Prefecture, was set up in 22 districts of the city comprising both new town areas and rural and old town areas. The process of establishing a salon in new town areas requires the support of the local government. Local government members propose establishing a salon for older persons to the president of a neighborhood association, a welfare commissioner, and others who have effectively produced results with past activities. However, in rural and old town areas, decisions to establish a salon are made by the residents themselves in the course of tea meetings, which are held by the welfare commissioner to revitalize local ties. The city government is not only trying to incorporate community resources into salons for older persons, but community resources are also trying to develop their activities by incorporating salons for older persons. Therefore, the perspective on the activeness of community resources is also important.