For a parent who can no longer get to the clinic, a doctor visits on a schedule, backed by clinics that answer around the clock. It suits the frail and the housebound, and it pairs with visiting nursing. Families abroad confuse it with a one-off house call; this is ongoing, planned care. If trips to the hospital have become an ordeal, ask the regular doctor or support center about arranging it.

Read more: House-call doctors and visiting nurses

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Getting help with this

See the full Japanese elder care glossary, or start with our long-term care insurance guide. If you would rather have someone handle the Japanese side, our care navigation service helps foreign families step by step, and you can contact us with your situation. Definitions are general orientation; rules vary by municipality (see our editorial policy).