You meet this word the day a parent stops managing alone. It covers everything from a daily helper to a nursing home, all funded through one public system you have to be certified into first. The common mistake from abroad is treating it as a private problem to solve with hired hands; almost everything routes through the municipality. Start by learning who certifies and who coordinates.
Read more: How the care system works
Related terms
- 介護保険（kaigo hoken）— long-term care insurance
- 要介護認定（youkaigo nintei）— care-need certification
- 地域包括支援センター（chiiki houkatsu shien center）— community support center
Where to go next
This word will come back at the home assessment or in the first care plan. The full Japanese elder care glossary holds 52 terms, and the long-term care insurance guide shows where each one sits in the process.
If you would rather someone handled the Japanese side, our care navigation service does that, and the first consultation is 30 minutes and free. Definitions here are general orientation and rules vary by municipality; see our editorial policy or contact us with your situation.