Description
Based on comparative and collaborative studies of Japanese and Norwegian specialists, this book focuses upon the critical analysis of 'rationality of care' with an empirical examination of care services in the two countries. The book argues that elder care is not simply the act of labor, but that of love, and it looks at such aspects of care as home help, new public management, and social enterprise. Predicated on the historical experience and contemporary reality of elder care in both countries, the study confronts the commercial rationalization of care practices and explores their desirable forms.
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Japan and Western industrialized nations share the challenge of a rapidly aging population combined with low birth rates. Saito (human sciences, Osaka U.) and Norwegian academics introduce eight comparative studies of aspects of elder care in Japan and Norway and secondarily in Sweden, and lessons learned from them. For example, an analysis of the commonalities and differences in work situations for home helpers in Japan and Norway concludes that structural power should support relational power. Figures and tables show demographic trends and data for factors including the population aging rate and the number of home helpers in these countries. Distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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