Abstract:

Examines the current crisis in familial care of elderly relatives in Japan & the US. For women (the traditional caregivers), managing the dual role of outside employment & caregiving is often highly stressful, which is negotiated in the U.S. context through greater reliance on institutional support & divisions of social space, & reliance on social traditions in Japan. Governments in both countries are making attempts to ease these strains, particularly through enacting tax exemptions, workplace training & support, & community partnerships, though projects are more thoroughly integrated in Japan. It is suggested that social workers will continue to professionally benefit from these increasing needs, though long-range economic & social policies are vastly underdeveloped in the U.S. context.