A University-Led Community Program for Super-Aged Society

TL;DR

This paper presents a university-led community program in Japan to address challenges of an aging population through collaborative research and education.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel community-based participatory research model tailored for Japan's super-aged society.

Findings

The program includes education, community hubs, and professional support to improve care delivery.

It emphasizes collaboration between citizens and professionals to address aging-related challenges.

The initiatives are designed based on direct input from community needs.

Abstract

How to maintain a sustainable care delivery system for those who need care is an urgent issue for Japan, which has become a super-aged society and a society with a declining population. The solution to such social issues cannot be found through conventional research and surveys, but rather through community-based participatory research (CBPR), in which solutions are found together with citizens. Based on such a concept, the Global Nursing Research Center of the University of Tokyo School of Medicine is constructing a CBPR for community development aimed at extending life expectancy with well-being. This program will have: Care Competency Education Program, Room for Healthy Living, and Mutual Support for Care Professionals. In the Care Competency Education Program, nurses provide education on the ability to care for the health and safety of themselves and those around them. Room for Healthy Living will be a hub for health in the community, similar to the health centers in schools. It is a place where anyone can casually drop in and gather, and where they can easily consult with professional nurses as needed. It is a place where people with the same difficulties can get together and share information. Mutual Support for Care Professionals is a place where various professionals involved in care in the community can get together and see each other, deepen mutual understanding through case studies, etc., and learn the latest knowledge through lectures by researchers. The above initiatives are being implemented and developed based on the needs of citizens.