Disabled youth too need a place to relax

Japanese society should change by allowing senior citizens who still want to work to help young people with disabilities and their families.

A turning point in my life came this spring when I decided to retire from my job as a medical doctor of 30 years and enter a university to study social enterprise in the human welfare studies department. This decision came partly from my experience in the rehabilitation department in a city hospital.

I have met many people with disabilities. Some young people were not physically disabled but had recognition problems, such as memory problems, aphasia or other higher brain dysfunctions. They could not continue their jobs; they could not stay home alone.

I often thought that if only there were places for them to meet other people and work together, their everyday lives would be meaningful, and their families might enjoy their own lives, too. While there are many day-care centers for elderly people these days, there are very few centers or places for these young people.

The need for centers or places for young people with disabilities is evident, but the support or "respite care" for their family members, who face difficult and challenging situations day in and day out, is often ignored. I am eager to support these families as a wife and a mother myself.

In order to do so, I will first study more about the present welfare system that supports young people. I will also listen to such young people and their families to find out what they really need and what kind of working situations would be best for them. A recent newspaper article about a former teacher in Tokyo who began to run an udon noodle restaurant with autistic members has encouraged me a lot.

As Japanese society is aging rapidly, there are many people, including my friends, who are nearing retirement age. These people are still active and would like to continue working. Some of my friends are interested in my idea and are willing to help me. They work as a nurse, a pediatrician, a manager of a nursery school and other related fields. Their knowledge and experience in their fields will make this dream of mine become a reality.

By setting up a center or place where people with recognition problems can join forces with senior citizens like my friends, we can learn to live together and improve our society, which will benefit all Japanese people.

The Asahi Shimbun

(China Daily 09/10/2008 page9)