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Gov't Moves to Protect Elderly from Abuse
Mainich Daily News
Japan
April 14, 2005
The Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito on Thursday compiled an outline of a bill to fight abuse of the elderly, proposing searches of people's homes if abuse is reported.
In many cases, abuse of elderly people is committed by their families, and it takes time for the abuse to surface.
Under the outline, which was officially approved by a ruling coalition project team on Thursday, relevant people such as home helpers, care managers, doctors and nurses are obligated to report abuse if they discover it. If it is deemed necessary, on-the-spot investigations at people's homes can be carried out by local city or town officials.
The bill, which will be submitted to the Diet in May under lawmaker-initiated legislation, aims to prevent abuse of elderly people through early government intervention.
Descriptions of elderly abuse include violence that causes physical harm or puts the person in danger of physical harm, pronounced psychological damage, sexual harassment, marked reduction of food supply or abandoning the victim for long periods, and unfair disposal of the person's assets.
When local cities or towns receive a report of abuse, they will consult private organizations and centers for elderly care for an appropriate response. If it is deemed necessary, local officials can conduct on-the-spot investigations. Under regulations that have been set, refusing such an investigation can result in a fine of 300,000 yen.
For their protection, elderly people can be moved to rest homes while applications for judging guardians can be made. Furthermore, meetings between the abuser and the abused person can be restricted.
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