[A comparative study on long-term care facilities for the aged in Japan].

Presently in Japan, care for the aged who are bedridden, afflicted with dementia or other conditions, is provided by hospitals, skilled nursing homes (providing a certain amount of medical care) and special nursing homes (for those needing ADL assistance). Facilities for long term care of the aged are insufficient, and there are many problems in matching care needs to the services supplied in these facilities. In October 1990, a survey was conducted to collect data for helping define the optimum services needed for the aged in long term care facilities. The subjects consisted of 1,262 persons in 12 facilities: 314 in three general hospitals (average age: 78.5); 391 in three hospitals for the aged (80.8); 410 in four skilled nursing homes (81.2); 147 in two special nursing homes (81.3). Results of the survey are as follows: 1. The proportion of "seriously demented" and "very seriously demented" subjects, (according to Karasawa's scale.), was 17.5% in general hospitals, 28.7% in hospitals for the aged, 16.4% in skilled nursing homes, and 22.6% in special nursing homes. 2. For ADL, "mobility" with whole assistance was required for 40.5% of the subjects in general hospitals, 58.7% in hospitals for the aged, 22.9% in skilled nursing homes, and 37.5% in special nursing homes. 3. During the month preceding the survey, medical examinations were conducted on 98.4% in general hospitals, 99.5% in hospitals for the aged, 23.0% in skilled nursing homes, and 59.4% in special nursing homes. These examinations consisted mostly of urine and blood analyses. ECGs and x-ray tests were also performed on more than 70% of subjects in the two types of hospitals.