Indonesian healthcare worker manages Japan’s growing home care services, TOKYOJune 19 (News On Japan) – Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare plans to lift restrictions on “home care” for foreign workers with specific skills and technical trainees under certain conditions. This change aims to address the ongoing labor shortage in the healthcare sector. What challenges have emerged from the field?
Elma, a 27-year-old Indonesian care worker, provides home care to a woman with a serious illness, assisting with meals and repositioning her body.
Elma, who loves Japanese culture, came to Japan at the age of 18, inspired by the demand for caregivers and a desire to help. She studied at a specialized school and obtained her qualifications in about three years.
Elma remembers early struggles with communication and cultural differences, often using a dictionary and taking notes.
“In home care you have to handle emergencies yourself,” Elma explains. The one-to-one nature of home care means that it has been limited to people with informal care qualifications, such as Elma. Unqualified foreigners are not allowed to provide these services.
However, due to the severe labor shortage, the ministry’s review committee today approved a draft report to enable foreigners with specific skills and technical trainees to perform home care tasks. Employers should ensure that these employees receive training in the Japanese lifestyle and initially accompany other staff members.
Elma, a Muslim, prays five times a day and receives permission from her clients during her visits.
Miyazato, president of Pukkuru Care where Elma works, distributes handmade leaflets to help clients understand these cultural practices.
โWe take these leaflets and explain them to customers, asking for their cooperation,โ Miyazato said, emphasizing the need for employers to facilitate understanding and acceptance.
As Japan ages, mutual understanding becomes increasingly important.
Source: TBS
