These are unpaid neighborhood volunteers who keep a quiet eye on older residents, and they can be a lifeline when you live far away. They are not service providers, but they notice when something is wrong and can alert the right office. The support center can connect you to the one for your parent's area. Families overlook them entirely. A friendly local contact who checks in is worth arranging before a crisis.
Read more: Local welfare contacts
Related terms
- 地域包括支援センター（chiiki houkatsu shien center）— community support center
- 社会福祉協議会（shakyou）— social welfare council
- 認知症（ninchishou）— dementia
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.