Examining the Logic of the Cared-for

: A Study of the Independent Living Movement of the Disabled

Abstract

This paper examines the logic of those who are cared for while focusing on the independent living movement of people with disabilities. The theme of care tends to be organized as a variety of issues concerning those who provide care. Herein, we will take the standpoint of those who are cared for, and discuss the goals and challenges of the care demanded by people with disabilities. The first stage of care is the situation in which family members exclusively provide care in the absence of support. Care in this situation was unstable and oppressive. In exchange for the care they needed, the disabled were restricted in their freedom and had to fear for their future. This situation made people with disabilities want to go to residential facilities. In the Japanese independent living movement, people with cerebral palsy sought independent living in the form of congregate housing, but eventually the movement toward individualized living, influenced by the United States, became mainstream. However, even though there may seem to be a conflict, both movements are one in that they both aim to make people less dependent on family members for care.