Nursing Care Insurance 2 Welfare Services for the Disabled 3 Services for the Elderly 3 Livelihood Support 5 Single Parent Support 6

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1 Living Information for Foreign Residents of Itabashi City Welfare Services Itabashi City offers various medical and welfare services for babies and children, the elderly, the disabled and women and single-parents, as well as many others services which cannot all be mentioned in this brochure. If you have questions or problems, please visit the consultation counter and ask about what services you may receive. Certain conditions, e.g., foreign registration in Itabashi City, must be met in order to receive welfare services. Nursing Care Insurance 2 Welfare Services for the Disabled 3 Services for the Elderly 3 Livelihood Support 5 Single Parent Support 6 Please make any inquiries in Japanese to the respective divisions using the telephone numbers listed in this brochure unless otherwise noted. Published by: Itabashi Culture & International Exchange Section, Itabashi City Office Itabashi, Itabashi City, Tokyo , Tel: 03(3579)2018 Editing Team: International Exchange Section, Itabashi Culture and International Exchange Foundation, Itabashi, Itabashi City, Tokyo , Tel: 03(3579)2015 Published: February, 2012

2 Nursing Care Insurance Inquiries: Nursing Care & Insurance Section, Itabashi City Hall 5F Counter 6, Telephone: Nursing care insurance was designed as a way of providing nursing care through mutual assistance by sharing its related costs. Individuals who have been certified as being in need of care are able to the services they need, and care-receivers typically bear 10% of the expenses incurred. (1) Enrollment in Nursing Care Insurance All registered foreigners aged 40 years or older with a residential status of over 1 year are required to join the nursing care insurance scheme. Those who are over 65 years of age are primary participants, and those between 40 to 64 years of age are secondary participants. Nursing Care Insurance Cards will be sent to primary care participants; if you don t have on and you should, please contact the Nursing Care & Insurance Section. *Until changes in the Basic Resident Register Law are brought into effect and resident certificates can be produced in July, 2012, individuals over 65 will need to submit a notice of Nursing Care Insurance Reception (Kaigo Hoken Shutoku Todoke). (2) Payment of Premiums Primary Participants Those who receive old-age benefits, retirement pensions and the like totaling more than 180,000 yen annually will have their premiums withheld automatically from their benefits. Other individuals must make their payments with the payment slips mailed to their residence. Secondary Participants Premiums are collected in a lump sum along with medical insurance premiums. Their amount differs depending on the insurer. (3) Qualifying for Nursing Care Insurance In a cases where individuals need care or help in daily life, please contact the Itabashi Nursing Service counter in city Hall as it is necessary to determine to what extent care is needed. An application for care may be filed in your place by one of your family members, home care providers or nursing care institutions. Applicants will be notified within 30 days from the filing date. (4) Cost of Services Nursing care insurance covers 90% of the costs incurred; insurers copayments come to10%. Additional costs such as meals and residence fees are to be the responsibility of the insurer when using care facilities.

3 Welfare Services for the Disabled Individuals who have been issued a physical disability, intellectual disability or a mental disability certificate are eligible to receive disability services depending on the degree of their disability. (1) Physical Disability Certificates Inquiries: Itabashi Social Welfare Office Itabashi, Itabashi City Tel Akatsuka Social Welfare Office Akatsuka, Itabashi City Tel Shimura Social Welfare Office Hasune, Itabashi City Tel This is issued to those who are physically disabled, suffering from orthopedic, visual, auditory, vocal, linguistic, cardiac, renal, liver, respiratory, rectal, digestive, bladder-impairment or immunity issues. The certificate is given based on diagnosis by doctors who have been specially approved to do so under welfare laws for the disabled, with classification ranging from 1 to 6 according to the severity of their disability. (2) Intellectual Disability Certificates Inquiries: All Social Welfare Centers This is issued to those who are intellectually challenged. The severity of disability is classified on a scale of one (the most serious case) to four (mild case). A certificate is issued by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Child Guidance Office (North) (Tel: ) for individuals under 18 years old. For individuals over 18 years old will have it issued by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Rehabilitation Center for the Physically and Mentally Disabled (Tel: ). (3) Mental Disability Certificates Inquiries: All Health & Welfare Centers Mental Disability Notebooks are issued to those who are mentally challenged and have difficulties in daily or social life. The classification is made on a scale of one to three. Services for the Elderly (1) Latter-Stage Elderly Healthcare System Section Inquiries: Latter-Stage Elderly Healthcare System Section, Itabashi City Hall 5F Counter 5 Telephone: The Latter Stage Elderly Healthcare System is a health insurance system which has been put into place for people over 75. By presenting your health insurance card to medical facilities or dispensing pharmacies, you will be asked to bear 10 or 30% of the total medical expenses. The cost of insurance is to be paid by each and every individual.

4 (2) Genki Refresh Program for new Senior Citizens Inquiries: Lifestyle Promotion Section, Itabashi City Hall 7F Counter 8, Telephone: A. Genki Refresh tickets for the elderly Genki Refresh tickets are special tickets distributed to individuals living in Itabashi after they have turned 70 years old. Eligible recipients are those who continue to live in their own homes, do not have any unpaid health insurance fees from the National Health Insurance plan, Latter Stage Elderly Healthcare system or Nursing Care Insurance, as well as those who are not certified to receive nursing care treatment or who only have certification of needing support or nursing care at the first or second levels. Further information is available at the reception window. B. Refresh Tickets for Family Nursing Family Nursing Refresh tickets are issued to families who arenursing at-home individuals who have nursing needs at the third, fourth or fifth level, which do not have any unpaid health insurance fees from the National Health Insurance plan, the Latter Stage Elderly Healthcare system or Nursing Care Insurance. Further information is available at the reception window. (3) Respect for the Aged Week Events Inquiries: Lifestyle Promotion Section, Itabashi City Hall 7F Counter 8, Telephone: Respect for the Aged Day is a national holiday set on the third Monday of September every year, respecting the elderly and celebrating longevity. Itabashi city is pleased to offer a gift to those aged 88, 95, 100 and over 101 years old to honor the elderly and celebrate longevity. (4) Housing for the Elderly (Keyaki-En) Inquiries: Housing Policy Section, 6F MS Building, Telephone: For people over 65 years old with difficulties regarding housing, Itabashi city offers rental housing equipped with elderly-friendly facilities and helpers. Tenant recruitment is conducted once a year (around end of May). Tenants are selected by lottery. Pease contact the Housing Policy Section for details. (5) Paper Diapers Supply Inquiries: Senior Citizens Health & Welfare Center, Maenocho , Itabashi City, Telephone: Paper diapers are supplied to people who are of need of level 1 nursing care or above and who suffer from regular incontinence and are in need of diapers. The quantity may vary according to the kind of diaper needed. People who are hospitalized and who are in medical facilities eligible for diaper distribution and who are only able to use diapers indicated by the hospital are entitled to a monthly refund of up to 5,000. This refund doesn t apply to people with high incomes, people who are covered by life or nursing insurance or people who already benefit from some kind of support like Japanese that were born and raised in China. (6) Meal Delivery Services Inquiries: Senior Citizens Health & Welfare Center, Maenocho, Itabashi City, Telephone: Meal delivery services are available to those who are over 65 years old and live alone or only with other elderly people, and have difficulties with meal-preparation. Lunch and dinner, for a total of three meals a week are home-delivered to people who have difficulties cooking in order to guarantee their nutritional balance. Cost per Meal: between 367 and 740 yen

5 Livelihood Support Inquiries: Itabashi Social Welfare Office, General Information Reception Window, MS Building, Itabashi, Itabashi City, Telephone: General Consultation Subsection, Akatsuka Social Welfare Office, Akatsuka, Itabashi City, Telephone: General Consultation Subsection, Shimura Social Welfare Office, Hasune, Itabashi City, Telephone: (1) Life Support and Welfare Funds a. Welfare Funds for Single Mother Families Single mother families who live in Itabashi city for 6 over months and which have dependent children under 20 years old are eligible for special loans in cases of financial need such as for business start-up costs, daily life, house repairs, medical treatment/nursing, school entrance fees and new employment. The annual interest is set at 0% or 1.5%, and their redemption period is from 3 to 20 years. b. Welfare Funds for Women Single women under 25 years old or women over 25 years old who support their families are eligible for a special loan in cases of financial need such as for business start-up costs, daily life, housing, school entrance. The annual interest is 0 or set at a low rate, redemption period is from 7 to 20 years. *Applications for Welfare Fund Loans will go through an examination; not all applications may be accepted. (2) Counseling for Livelihood Support The General Information Counters at Social Welfare Offices give consulting aid for those who have trouble making a living. Please feel free to contact them. a. Livelihood Support for those with Financial Difficulties Applicable to Foreign Residents Livelihood support is a system which encourages those with Japanese nationality and who are having financial difficulties making a living in order to survive on their own or by other ways while guaranteeing their living under the Livelihood Protection Law. This law also is applicable to foreigners with specified residential statuses. Counselors will determine whether you are qualified or not, and they are more than willing to provide consultation to help find a solution even if you are not. To receive this support, counselors will ask the following; 1. Your residence status 2. Your family makeup (parents, children, siblings) 3. Lifestyle history (income, occupation, etc) 4. Your residence (house owner, public housing, private housing, others) 5. Your assets (real estate, deposit and saving, life insurance, etc) 6. Sickness etc. The law stipulates that the following should be prioritized and conducted prior to granting livelihood support. 1. Utilization of individual assets, talents and other possible ways of making a living 2. Aliment of dependents 3. Subsidies provided by other laws

6 b. Counseling for Single-Parents Counseling for single-parent related problems is available. For details, please refer to booklet number three, on Childbirth & Children. c. Counseling for Women This service is offered as aid related to women issues in order to ensure that women can be financially and socially independent. Please feel free to ask for help in case of domestic violence, problems about pregnancy or childbirth, or seeking shelter. Residence status is not necessary for this service. d. Family Counseling This is to deal with counseling regarding general human relationship issues in family life (divorce, marriage registration, recognition of illegitimate child/ children) Mondays Wednesdays Fridays: 13:00-17:00 e. Consultation for Returnees from China Consultation is available for returnees from China. 1 st and 3 rd Wednesdays: 13:00-16:00 Itabashi Social Welfare Office 2 nd and 4 th Wednesdays: 9:00 12:00 Itabashi Social Welfare Office Tuesdays 9:00-17:00 Akatsuka Social Welfare Office Wednesdays 9:00-17:00 Shimura Social Welfare Office Single-Parent Support Itabashi city offers various services for single-parent households in order to encourage them to be financially and socially independent. For details, please refer to booklet of number 3, on Childbirth & Children.