scholarly journals Emergency medicine in Japan: past, present, and future

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kentaro Shimizu ◽  
Seikei Hibino ◽  
Michelle H. Biros ◽  
Taro Irisawa ◽  
Takeshi Shimazu
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Medicine ◽  
Universal Coverage ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Ambulance Diversion ◽  
Emergency Care System ◽  
Aged Society ◽  
Surgical Conditions ◽  
Changing Demographics

AbstractQuite a few changes and challenges have arisen in society in general as technology has advanced and the aging population has increased. These can lead to the recognition of the shortcomings of a society’s traditional systems and the various changes that are needed, especially in providing emergency medical care. A super-aged society has been developing in Japan, and the emergency care system needs to change according to these new demographics and society’s needs. The focus has been shifting from critical care and trauma to medical and surgical conditions involving the elderly. Challenges in triage, ambulance diversion, and staffing are discussed in this review. Possible solutions currently underway, such as a public helpline, smartphone app system, coordination by designated hospitals, and universal coverage/government support, are discussed as future directions. Emergency medicine in Japan needs to develop in a more flexible way to meet the upcoming robust challenges of the changing demographics.

scholarly journals The Social Robot in Rehabilitation and Assistance: What is the Future?

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 244
Author(s):  
Daniele Giansanti
Keyword(s):  
The Elderly ◽  
Social Robots ◽  
Social Robot ◽  
Clinical Use ◽  
Research Development ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Collaborative Robotics ◽  
Research Perspectives ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future

This commentary aims to address the field of social robots both in terms of the global situation and research perspectives. It has four polarities. First, it revisits the evolutions in robotics, which, starting from collaborative robotics, has led to the diffusion of social robots. Second, it illustrates the main fields in the employment of social robots in rehabilitation and assistance in the elderly and handicapped and in further emerging sectors. Third, it takes a look at the future directions of the research development both in terms of clinical and technological aspects. Fourth, it discusses the opportunities and limits, starting from the development and clinical use of social robots during the COVID-19 pandemic to the increase of ethical discussion on their use.

Deservingness Heuristics and Policy Attitudes toward the Elderly in an Aging Society: Evidence from Japan

2021 ◽  
pp. 106591292110160
Author(s):  
Yesola Kweon ◽  
ByeongHwa Choi
Keyword(s):  
Senior Citizens ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Issue Framing ◽  
Aging Society ◽  
Policy Attitudes ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Working Age Population ◽  
Economic Need

Deservingness theory contends that spending on the elderly is widely supported across age groups because, unlike other groups such as immigrants or the unemployed, senior citizens are perceived as morally worthy of social aid. However, through a survey experiment in Japan, a prototypical aging society, this study shows that in a state with a large population of senior citizens, there is a significant age gap in policy preferences with the working-age population demonstrating stronger opposition to government support for the elderly. To induce empathetic policy attitudes toward the elderly, therefore, effective issue framing is necessary. However, emphasizing economic need is not enough; it is only when both the elderly’s economic need and effort to work are emphasized that we see a positive attitudinal change among the working-age population. In addition, we find that the economically secure are more sensitive to senior citizens’ economic need and effort to work in determining their policy support. By contrast, the economically insecure exhibit unqualified support for the elderly. These findings demonstrate that deservingness for the elderly is not innate, but is driven by conditional altruism. Furthermore, our work emphasizes the importance of issue framing in generating intergenerational solidarity in a rapidly aging society.

Ophthalmology

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venki Sundaram
Keyword(s):  
Visual Recognition ◽  
Medical Knowledge ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Good Communication ◽  
Ocular Manifestations ◽  
Eye Problems ◽  
Hand Eye Coordination ◽  
Patient Groups ◽  
Surgical Conditions ◽  
Medical Teams

Ophthalmology principally aims to prevent visual loss, restore visual function, and relieve ocular discomfort. The majority of the pathology can be directly visualized and thus requires proficient ocular examination techniques and visual recognition skills. Another distinguishing aspect of ophthalmology is the overlap between medical and surgical conditions. Common systemic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension have ocular features, and diseases involving every organ of the body can have ocular manifestations. A thorough medical knowledge is paramount, as is the ability to collaborate with other medical teams. Intraocular surgery for conditions such as cataract is technically challenging, as ocular tissues are so delicate. It therefore requires high levels of fine hand–eye coordination. As an ophthalmologist, you will be faced both with acute eye conditions, some of which are sight-threatening and require prompt diagnosis and management, and with chronic conditions, which require monitoring and treatment for many years. You will be exposed to patients of all ages, from premature babies to the elderly, so good communication with a wide range of patient groups and their families is essential. Patients often say that what they fear most is losing their sight. Therefore, empathy and support for patients with debilitating visual impairment are imperative. The questions in this chapter will test your knowledge of acute emergency ophthalmic presentations and the understanding and interpretation of ophthalmic examination, as well as ocular conditions that have systemic associations. In addition, questions relating to ophthalmic risk factors, communication, and probity are included. Eye problems can be daunting to many medical students and doctors. Through practice in examining patients and recognizing key conditions, confidence can be gained in how best to manage these patients and, importantly, when to refer them to other specialties. Ophthalmology incorporates a unique and appealing mix of medical and surgical conditions. It is a rapidly advancing specialty with recent significant advances in diagnostic and therapeutic options. It also provides an opportunity for a good work–life balance.

scholarly journals Long-Term Care in Indonesia: The Role of Integrated Service Post for Elderly

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 1556-1573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aluisius Hery Pratono ◽  
Asri Maharani
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Community Health Services ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Religious Activities ◽  
Term Care

Objective: This article aims to examine community long-term care (LTC) in Indonesia by drawing upon the five principles of human right provision: availability, accessibility, acceptability, quality, and universality. Method: We used a qualitative approach with exploratory multiple case studies in three different areas in East Java Province, Indonesia. This study gathered the initial evidence using a report card approach with self-report questionnaires. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were carried out to understand factors that affect the efficacy of LTC services. Results: The Indonesia Government imposed a regulation that required each local community to make community health services available for the elderly. By managing the integrated post, the community provided LTC service for the elderly. Community leadership played a pivotal role to make LTC services available. Improving the services with religious activities was essential to improving the acceptability, but it also needed to take into consideration universality and nondiscrimination principles. Results show that LTC services are difficult to expand and quality standards are difficult to raise, due to challenges such as few community members volunteering their services, lack of support from religious leaders, limited resources, and inadequate volunteer training. Discussion: This study highlights the role of community engagement in LTC services and shows that it is difficult to succeed without adequate government support. Improving services with creative and culturally acceptable activities is necessary.

Changing Politics of Federal Health Insurance Programs

1987 ◽  
Vol 20 (02) ◽  
pp. 202-211
Author(s):  
M. Kenneth Bowler
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Insurance ◽  
Universal Coverage ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Financial Barriers ◽  
Payroll Tax ◽  
Insurance System

In 1965, when Medicare and Medicaid were enacted, concern about access to the health care system for the elderly and poor overrode concerns about cost. The legislation focused on removing financial barriers to health care for these groups, and implementation of the legislation was a matter of reaching agreements with hospitals and physicians over reimbursement and administrative procedures with the objective of insuring that health care resources would be available to the beneficiaries of these new federal health insurance programs (Wolkstein, 1984).Ideological conflict and the alignment of interest groups are central to understanding the politics of Medicare. The intense disagreement over public versus private financing of medical care, and of universal coverage versus covering only the needy (i.e., social insurance versus charity), were key points of contention that established the context within which Medicare and Medicaid were developed, debated and enacted. Labor unions led the liberal organizations and those representing the elderly in advocating a universal, non-income tested federal health insurance system. The American Medical Association (AMA) led the health industry, business and conservative groups in opposing federal financing of personal health care. The intense opposition of the health providers and political conservatives to a universal federal insurance system led the national health insurance advocates to shift to an incremental strategy, the objective of which was to achieve a universal federal health insurance program in stages, beginning with a payroll-tax-financed Medicare program covering all (not just low income) elderly who were eligible for social security pension benefits.

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