The objective of this paper is to clarify the meanings of dignity and human rights. These words are concepts and ways of thinking born in the West. For that reason, the conceptual history and origin of the respective words were first confirmed there. Subsequently, attempts at elucidating the meaning of dignity have been made by developing the thought into a sacred dimension. Regarding human rights, an attempt was made to elucidate the meaning by division into aspects of “human” and “right.” In experiencing “sacredness, ” we feel them to be “irreplaceable.” Additionally, we feel “the importance of others' existence” and “the responsibility to others, as ethics.” These differ qualitatively from secular values. They constitute dignity. Actually, we can hear the cry and demand:“I want to live a life as a human.” Justice and morals confer legitimacy on them. That legitimate cry and demand are human rights.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between cognitive appraisal of the project on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children and social welfare related quality of life (QOL) of preschool children's parents, and to aim at obtaining an efficient and effective way to enhance outcomes and impacts from an ordinary person's viewpoint. We surveyed 3, 360 preschool children's parents who used nursery schools, kindergartens and similar facilities in three large, medium and small cities. Our questionnaire asked about parent's basic attributes, cognitive appraisal of the project on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children and social welfare related QOL. In the statistical analysis, we used the data of 1, 599 parents with no missing values, and we examined a logic model that arranged cognitive appraisal of the project and social welfare related QOL as the outcome and the impact, using structural equation modeling. In the result, we confirmed the compatibility of the logic model (CFI=0.965, RMSEA=0.056). And we found the causal relationship of the logic model was significantly positively associated. We discussed measures to effectively/efficiently enhance the outcome and the impact from the ordinary person's viewpoint.

Using patient medical records and social-work records at Hospital A, the author investigated the differences and trends in the intentions of patients and families regarding discharge/transfer destinations, as well as the factors behind their intentions and what influence those factors have. The subjects were 204 cases who were special admission-paying patients in Hospital A's convalescent rehabilitation ward and their families, and excluded patients with no family. The analysis involved compiling data on the intentions of patients and families on discharge/transfer destinations and determining the change in their intentions between admittance time and one month after admittance, then performing statistical analyses (Mann–Whitney U test, chi-squared test, and multiple regression analysis). Results suggested the following three items: (1) Families consider discharge/transfer destinations from more diverse viewpoints than patients do; (2) regarding discharge/transfer destinations, family intentions are more apt to change than patient intentions;and (3) if patients' spouses live at home, the family score is higher, and therefore both patient and family intentions regarding discharge/transfer destinations are more likely to focus on the home. These results provided findings that are important when considering the desirable form of effective discharge/transfer support and helpful decision-making support.

The purpose of this research is to clarify the reason why nursing care staff remained at a job or did not and to present factors that influence retaining nursing care staff with organizational management. In this research, interviews were conducted with facility management personnel and the analysis method was utilized with qualitative coding. As a result of the analysis, the main reason why the nursing care staff did not remain became clear from “the increase of dissatisfaction of nursing care staff” which is based upon “lack of management ability.” In the meantime, the organizational management for retaining nursing care staff needs to be defined, as follows:to create circumstances which allow not only the managers but also other staff to take part, after making a management system to connect both, based upon the establishment of a management structure that includes human resource development.

The purpose of this study was to clarify factors influencing self-neglect in elders and the process by which it occurs. To address the goal, semi-structuralized interviews were conducted with nine elders aged 65 or older who were living alone while neglecting themselves, and then, based on the modified grounded theory approach, data were analyzed. According to the results, as the factors of self-neglect, 20 categories were extracted, and they were again classified into four superordinate categories. Their self-neglect seemed to be the result of the process of 【factors (personal factors) 】+【critical life events】→{【social and environmental factors】⇔【lethargy and living function decline】}. The results imply that self-neglect may take place in the continuum of anyone's life regardless of their intention and it is necessary to approach self-neglect within the perspective of social inclusion, not just of cooperation or a connection between multi-professional jobs working to prevent it.

This study determines the effectiveness of social work-based support provided by certified social workers regarding client-centered proceedings in initial consultations concerning the adult guardianship system. To address the problem of whether support constitutes the provision of legal services by a non-lawyer, we clarify how such support constitutes a violation of Article 72 of the Attorney Act. Because social workers fear that their work may constitute the provision of legal services, they struggle when providing support in proceedings for clients who have an inadequate capacity for judgement according to the revised Domestic Relations Case Procedure Act. To provide clarity in such circumstances, we argue that flexibility is required in the interpretation and administration of a provisory clause of Article 22 of the Domestic Relations Case Procedure Act. To achieve such flexibility, we propose amending the definition of certified social worker under the Certified Care Worker and Certified Social Worker Act. The support in proceedings provided by social workers for those persons who require such support according to their limited capacity is consistent with the Act on Promotion of Use of the Adult Guardianship System and with “equal recognition before the law, ” as stipulated in Article 12 and 13 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The aim of the present study was to examine the cooperation between attending physicians and professionals in community comprehensive support centers and to clarify related factors. We administered a questionnaire to 6, 000 professionals in community comprehensive support centers. The contents of the questions were knowledge regarding medical consultations for dementia care, the degree of cooperation of professionals with attending physicians, and the status of collaborations with them. We conducted a statistical analysis of the status of collaborations with attending physicians according to the Latent Rank Theory (LRT). Subsequently, we performed a multi-nominal logistic regression analysis to clarify the factors related to the estimated rank. The results of the statistical analysis based on the LRT revealed that the six-rank model was optimal. Moreover, the results of the logistic regression analysis showed significant relationships between the “practical knowledge concerning methods of consultation with medical institutions for dementia care” and “degree of cooperation with attending physicians.” We found only 20% of the professionals indicated that they had positive cooperation with the attending physicians. To promote cooperation, it was important to provide the professionals with “practical knowledge concerning methods of consultation with medical institutions for dementia care” and to create an appropriate working environment for the professionals that can enhance their cooperation with attending physicians.

This article reports on the case of two elderly persons who experienced bereavement of a live-in family member during the hospitalization, focusing on the social problems faced and the support provided. In the analysis, we categorized the social problems of the two cases and the collaboration between the institutions involved in providing support. From the results of analysis of the case reports of the social problems, we determined there were 7 categories (payment, management of property, disposition of residence, continuation of medical care, future living place, procedures after death, legal institutional procedures) and were integrated into 3 large categories (finances, life, legal affairs). A total of 23 institutions were involved in providing support for the cases. In the collaboration between multiple institutions and specialists, it was useful to 1) organize problems and clarify issues, 2) organize communication routes and allocate roles, and 3) utilize checklists. In addition, effective team-based medical care facilitated the collaboration with regional institutions. In order to provide support to the elderly who have overlapping social problems due to multiple losses resulting from bereavement and physical limitations, it is necessary to improve an individual's practical skills and the organizations' strength so as to establish rapid collaboration.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the structure of experiences of middle and advanced aged people who acquired visual disabilities later in their life, and how they adapt themselves to daily life. A qualitative data analysis was conducted using an inductive approach, the Qualitative Synthesis Method (KJ Method.) it was seen that subjects reacted in despair and shut themselves in their homes when they became visually impaired. Furthermore, they confronted difficulties in obtaining information necessary for their daily living and at the same time they were exposed to social discrimination or prejudice. However, they came to meet reliable and trustworthy friends, and realized that they were able to live a meaningful life even with their visual impairment. Subjects indicated they would like to maintain social activities to promote understanding of the disabled and also were resolved to live a full life, without depending on their family. The findings suggested that support systems for individuals who acquired visual impairment later in life were necessary. While they developed a relationship with the disabled, they were encouraged to have an active sense of self and to establish their own self-reliance.

This study aims to reexamine the achievements of Suzuki Michita, who is renowned as an educator, from the viewpoint of children's welfare. In this study, the author seeks to throw light on the existence and value of Suzuki Michita's handwritten notes, which were found at the Shiroishi Library in Miyagi Prefecture during the course of this study.

As a child welfare specialist at the Miyagi Prefecture Central Child Guidance Center, Suzuki pioneered the use of the casework method. It is also worth mentioning that this center was designated as a model child guidance center by the Children's Bureau of Health and Welfare Ministry. Suzuki also contributed toward enhancing the reputation of the foster parent system in Miyagi Prefecture. In addition to the notes that recorded lectures by Ms. Alice K. Carroll, who, as a Child Welfare Consultant, represented the United Nations Social Activities Department, Suzuki's handwritten notes are a historical resource to explore the functions of the child consultation center and the development of its reformatory measures.