Promoting independent living and preventing lonely death in an older adult: Soma Idobata-Nagaya after the 2011 Fukushima disaster

Abstract

Contrary to the assumption that older adults are only cared for by their families in rural Japan, this case illustrates that community formation can effectively provide older adult care after an emergency as well. We look at the life of a woman who lived in a housing facility for older adults, Idobata-Nagaya in Soma, Japan, exploring how social housing—which addresses the needs of older adults regarding community, familiarity and socialising—can provide a viable, effective and comfortable environment for older adults to live. In the case of Idobata-Nagaya, not only could older adults take care of one another but they could also share experiences of the Fukushima disaster with each other. This is a qualitative case study which provides a stable foundation for policymakers, healthcare workers and government officials to better understand the effectiveness of housing projects for communities and older adults in Japan and globally.