New selection criteria were established for providers supporting elderly people without family, and the first group of 8 high-quality operators was announced on 25 September. Reviews and certifications will continue every 4 months, with nationwide expansion as the goal.
The National Association of Lifelong Support Service Providers for the Elderly and Others, the first industry association in the nursing-care sector, announced its first group of 8 high-quality operators on 25 September. Under the certification system, operators that meet the association's own standards in addition to the national guidelines and pass a review by external experts are certified as regular members. Ongoing reviews are conducted once every 2 years after certification.
The association has established a complaints desk and a system under which it may take measures against regular members as necessary, including guidance and suspension or cancellation of certification. Complaints are also reflected in ongoing reviews to prevent recurrence.
Going forward, reviews and certifications will be conducted every 4 months, with the aim of establishing a system under which regular members can provide services in every prefecture. Chairperson Kurosawa Shizunori (黒澤史津乃) said the association wants to promote an environment in which frontline workers can confidently refer people to high-quality operators.