Inspiration from community gathering places for older adults in Japan
To help older adults maintain their health, Japan has set up community gathering places and online communication channels, and has also tried providing home-visit support before guiding older adults to go out and take part in activities. Older adults and their families in China can learn from this an approach: when conditions permit, take part in community activities more often and keep up daily contact, but specific practices should be adapted to local realities.
Machine translation of our Chinese article, without human translation review. Suggestions concerning China remain specific to China.
Automatically reviewed, without human verification. Programmatic checks are not professional review. Seek professional advice where appropriate. Automatically reviewed on 10/4/2026, 7:14:25 AM
Chinese fact summaries and suggestions for China (not a full translation)
Original: 介護予防 ｜厚生労働省 · Original language: ja
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Facts from the sources
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare set up a special website to maintain health at home while preventing the spread of COVID-19 and to safely restart activities at community gathering places, encouraging people to gather online and promote the maintenance of physical and mental health. View source
Information on Japan's 'kayoi no ba' can be searched through the long-term care service information disclosure system. View source
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has compiled the 'Care Prevention Handbook, 4th Edition' for reference by care prevention officers in each municipality, to be used in implementing short-term intensive prevention services for people with declining daily functioning. View source
A model program in Japan targets older adults whose daily life, such as housework or going out, has become difficult. It is implemented for about 3 months using a combination of day services and home visits; after improving their daily life, participants are transferred to community gathering places where they can exercise and eat, to maintain their condition. View source
Japan carries out a model program to develop bases for care prevention and community mutual aid support, building bases in depopulated and hilly/mountainous areas, where diverse organizations and related personnel cooperate to support older adults' care prevention through community mutual aid. View source
Since fiscal year 2014, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has expanded and developed the award objects in the 'Kenko Jumyo o Nobasou! Award' (Let's Extend Healthy Life Expectancy! Award), giving recognition in the fields of care prevention and support for older adults' daily living. View source
For older people and families
Encourage older adults to take part in more gatherings organized in the community or residential compound; if it is inconvenient to go out, they can also use phone or video calls with family members to chat with acquaintances.
Family members may accompany older adults to the neighborhood committee or community service center to ask whether there are activity points suitable for older adults nearby and how to join them.
If older adults find it harder than before to do housework or go out, family members can first tell community workers or people they know about the situation and ask whether there are short-term help or escorted outings.
If an older adult's health changes noticeably, please seek assessment from a doctor or care worker in a timely manner; do not judge on your own or try to tough it out.
See what care and community teams can do
Community service organizations may refer to Japan's practice of 'kayoi no ba' (community gathering places) and use existing venues to organize daily communication activities for older adults, but such activities must be reviewed by local civil affairs, fire safety and other departments, and the safety and evacuation conditions of the buildings must be verified.
The approach of Japan's 'Care Prevention Handbook' can be used for reference: professionals may design short-term, intensive preventive care services, but the service targets, goals and procedures must be based on local assessment results.
For older adults with declining daily living abilities, a combination of 'home-visit support + activities at a gathering point' may be explored: professionals first visit homes to help improve their condition, then guide them to participate in community activities, but the service duration and referral mechanism should be clearly defined.
When setting up mutual aid bases in sparsely populated or remote areas, conditions such as sustained operation, volunteer training and funding sources should be considered in advance; do not copy foreign models.
What needs local assessment
The above content comes from Japanese examples and materials; it reflects practices in other countries, is not a current policy in China, and does not mean that communities in China already have the same conditions. As for whether relevant activities or services can actually be carried out, please consult local civil affairs and health authorities and community workers, and ask professionals to verify the health status of older adults and the fire safety and structural safety of activity venues. The practices in the examples do not constitute a direct recommendation for every older adult. Source: Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (see original link). This website has compiled and translated the content based on original facts; it is not a translation produced, approved, or released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; Japan's systems are not the same as China's systems.
Sources
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and WelfareWas this article helpful?
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