Abstract
By referring to A. Schütz's classification of epistemology, this article analyzes the differences between normal care management and care management in small, multi-functional institutions in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, in terms of the cognition of those who need care. In normal care management, cognition moves from a personal type to a more abstract and functional type, as the practice moves from the assessment stage to a care planning stage. This shows that cognition always tends to increase its level of abstraction, as is implied in Schütz's classification. However, cognitive abstraction is consciously avoided in Fukuyama, and personal cognition develops into something more individual. This finding may indicate that abstraction levels might define the size of a welfare practice.
