A study from the Karolinska Institutet, published in BMC Medicine, compares older populations in Japan and Sweden.
The researchers examine how many years older adults live without needing public eldercare.
The results show that Japanese and Swedish people have nearly the same number of years in which they remain independent.
This applies to both men and women, although women in Japan have a slight advantage.
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The data are based on more than 850,000 individuals in Sweden and over 330,000 in Japan, according to VIA.
More years with care
The difference emerges when examining the period during which care is needed. Older adults in Japan spend more years receiving eldercare than those in Sweden.
At the same time, mortality is lower among individuals receiving care in Japan. This means that older people in Japan often live longer, even when they require assistance.
The study categorizes older adults based on whether they receive home care, live in nursing homes, or receive no assistance, providing a more detailed picture of their living conditions.
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What explains the difference
The researchers point to several possible explanations. These may include when individuals gain access to care, how care is organized, and the role of the family.
In addition, differences in end-of-life care may play a role, according to the researchers.
The study also shows that Japan’s high life expectancy is not necessarily due to better health among older adults, but rather that more people survive longer while needing care.
Sources: VIA and BMC Medicine.
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