Half of visiting nurses suffer some form of harassment at patients' homes: survey

Very sad. Very Japan.

The nurses should be able to at least be able to record the audio portion of their visit. In fact they should make that a law across the board. If patients know they're being recorded I'll bet most of them will change their tune. Bullies often do.

Personal cameras and black listing of serial offenders.

But I thought Japan shows the world that the people are polite, loving and peaceful people.

A bit of an over-reaction in the comments here, especially the usual Japan bashing. For comparison, an article from from the USA (NBC News) titled: For nurses, sexual harassment from patients is 'par for the course'

In other words, this is a hazard of the job. They are dealing with old and often ill patients, many with some form of dementia or mental illness. In the privacy of their home, many will act out. The obvious solution is to send male nurses to problem patients. Or no nurses at all if it's bad enough.

Social workers with autistic and other mentally challenged people may face harassment and violence every day. This is not all that different. No need to bring out the lynch mobs.

What commanteer said. When I was growing up, my fathers' generation always joked about the plus side of retiring in nursing homes, within reach of young nurses' backsides. Old folks are often a bit dated in their attitudes in the first place. Add in dementia and in this case home health care, away from other staff...

It might be helpful to require a family member to be present during the visit if possible, either to corroborate the story or to act as a mediator. Failing that, nurses can go in pairs to have a witness. This would be good in cases where some kind of trouble has already been reported.

It's hard to fault the oldsters sometimes though. They may actually be suffering enough to not know what they are doing or saying. Or, they could just be cranky old farts. Hard to tell sometimes.

Patients, usually old men, and illicit relationships with young nurses or family carers is a very popular theme in Japanese AV. No wonder it happens.

@commanteer..... what? Is this your line of work here in Japan... are you a caregiver here? My wife is and I don't like the idea that not only the patient is a problem... but quite often their family members are too. Not sure about that "lynch mob" either..... me, I'd just want audio recorded. And just because sexual harassment is "par for the course" in the USA does not make it right. Man.... there is an issue here and you are telling people its no big deal.

It would be prudent to have more male nurses and try as much as possible to send male nurses to male patients.

This should help curb the sexual harassement problem, and might help a bit in the other problems as well.

SaikoPhysco

excellent post. Agree with you 100%.

Is this your line of work here in Japan... are you a caregiver here? My wife is and I don't like the idea that not only the patient is a problem... but quite often their family members are too. Not sure about that "lynch mob" either..... me, I'd just want audio recorded. And just because sexual harassment is "par for the course" in the USA does not make it right. Man.... there is an issue here and you are telling people its no big deal.

Hi. My wife used to be a care giver, at a care center. And I volunteered some. Honestly, I was worried for her at times - patients could suddenly turn violent - so I am not saying it isn't a problem.

If you were referring to family members, not patients, as bullies - that's a whole different story. The article here suggests the problem is the patients, so I don't think one can look at them as simply bullies or pervs. Caregiving is a really tough and demanding job that pays next to nothing. So people involved are either really passionate, or they really need the money. From what I have seen, there are far too many of the latter - and they can be indifferent or even abusive to patients.

I am fine with audio and even video, to protect both parties. But patient behavior problems are simply one of the job hazards. Again, I am talking about the patients. If the harassment is coming from a family member, that's something else entirely.

Is home health care as prevalent in other nations as it is in Japan? My mother in law has helpers and therapists 6 days/week, even doctor's occasionally make house calls. She's a mess and quickly sours on caregiver after caregiver. She doesn't abuse them or harass them to their face but she continuously fault-finds and complains to the city liaison who arranges it all, so then we're back to square one breaking in another person. Judging by the above, she's probably consider a more typical patient. I know folks in the my country who'd be thrilled to have these options, especially at the price found here.

As a former community (visiting) nurse I can confirm this happens. The worst offenders are not patients but their relatives. Some verbally aggressive, but mostly unwanted sexual comments and touching. We know all about the patients but very little about those in the house with them, on one occasion a patient's neighbour informed a colleague that the patient's brother had convictions for sexual assault and was on the register. It can get quite scary and we often had to double up on some visits, which stretched our already small workforce. The offenders, unless they are mentally unaware of their behaviour, should be prosecuted. We did call the police on a couple of creeps who thought they could harass and threaten. Our managers were supportive, we called in when entering and leaving a home, we also had emergency buttons.

Luddite at least you and management are actually in 2018, I can only applaud your care and concern for your patients and co workers. It's not a job that many can do. Difficult situations are the norm. Body cameras and emergency buttons should be standard. Being Japan the justice system is inadequate for prosecution so a harsh talking to will have to do. The job is the patient. Others want their say, call the office, not the care giver.

Luddite at least you and management are actually in 2018

No, this was in the UK, about 15 years ago. I have so many stories about the violence and sexual harrassment I have received over the course of my career, and it's mostly from relatives and friends of patients. As for recording and body cameras, not so easy when you are giving personal care, the patient has a right to dignity and privacy. How would you like it if you were filmed at your most vulnerable, maybe naked and sick? Wouldn't be legal in the UK without the patient's permission and I hope not legal here. The nonsense about only sending male nurses and carers is naive. For a start there are far fewer men in the field, then there are female patients who chose not to receive intimate care from a male, add to that the fact that men are also subject to abuse, aggression and harassment.

Rather than put the onus on the nurses and carers (the victims) put it on the perpetrator, the one who is doing the illegal stuff.

Psychosaiko, well said.

If they send male nurses the harrassment will be of a homosexyall nature.