Tokyo (Jiji Press)—Japan’s Ministry of Welfare is planning to enhance support for the implementation of robots in nursing care facilities to improve work efficiency by fiscal 2025, according to sources from Jiji Press.
The ministry intends to expand the range of equipment eligible for subsidies, including devices for nutrition management and instruments for dementia care. These expenses will be included in the ministry’s budget request for fiscal 2025.
With an aging population, the nursing care industry is grappling with a chronic shortage of labor. To alleviate this issue while maintaining quality care services, the government aims to leverage robots.
However, currently only about 30% of nursing care facilities in Japan have introduced robots, indicating that there are challenges in further promoting their use.
The ministry has classified certain areas as “priority areas” within nursing care. These include monitoring and assisting care receivers, aiding with bathing, and providing support during excretion. The ministry offers financial assistance of up to ¥1 million for introducing care robots specifically designed for these areas.
In June, based on feedback from nursing care providers, the ministry expanded its priority areas to include diet and nutrition management, support and care for individuals with dementia, as well as training programs aimed at maintaining physical and cognitive functions. The goal is to incorporate equipment related to these areas into the subsidy program starting from fiscal 2025.
Regarding diet and nutrition management, the ministry envisions utilizing devices capable of collecting and analyzing dietary data along with equipment that can detect swallowing errors during meals.
To enhance the daily lives of individuals with dementia, the ministry plans on implementing a system that alerts them if they forget anything when leaving their residence. Additionally, they aim to promote a system that creates personalized training plans based on data such as walking patterns in order to maintain both physical and mental health.
By strengthening support measures through subsidies and expanding eligible equipment categories by fiscal 2025 onwards , Japan’s welfare ministry hopes to accelerate progress towards integrating robotics into nursing care facilities across the country.