The lower-cost, publicly oriented nursing home most families want, which is exactly why it is hard to enter: new admission generally needs care level 3 or higher, and wait-lists are long. Apply early and to several at once, and use short stays in the meantime. The mistake is treating it as a same-week solution. Have the care manager start applications before the parent reaches crisis, since the queue does not move fast.
Admission rules
Special nursing homes are run by social welfare corporations or local governments. New admission generally requires care level 3 or above. Applicants at levels 1 and 2 can be admitted as exceptions when living at home has become extremely difficult, for example because of dementia or abuse.
Places are allocated by need, and the order of application is only one factor. Admission guidelines rank applicants on care level, family situation and time waited. A Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare survey counted about 225,000 applicants nationwide.
What it costs
The care fee is co-paid at 10% to 30%. Meals and the room charge are added by the day. The national standard for meals is ¥1,545 a day. The room standard is ¥915 a day for a shared room and ¥2,066 for a private room in a unit-type home.
Households with low income and limited savings can apply for a certificate that lowers both charges. For a parent on a small pension, this often decides whether a special nursing home is affordable.
Applying from overseas
Apply to several homes at once, through the care manager or directly. Waits vary widely by area, so short stays or serviced housing often bridge the months in between. Families abroad should also name a contact in Japan who can sign the admission contract and take calls.
Many special nursing homes also run short stays. Using one while on the waiting list lets a parent get used to the staff and the building.
The special nursing home article covers applications. Bridging care while waiting covers the time before a place opens.
Read more: Tokuyo special nursing homes
Related terms
- 要介護1–5（youkaigo）— care levels 1–5
- 介護老人保健施設（rouken）— geriatric health facility
- 有料老人ホーム（yuuryou roujin home）— paid elderly home
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 54 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.