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We're hiring: Babies wanted for Kitakyushu nursing home

41 Comments
By Tomohiro OSAKI

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41 Comments
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What a great idea!

19 ( +21 / -2 )

This is a great idea! I've worked with the elderly for many years, and the one thing that always brightens their day was getting a visit from a grandchild or seeing another baby or youngster.

At their ages, stuck in facilities, these times are treasured, and with mom's around to keep an eye out, what's the harm!

17 ( +18 / -1 )

The babies aren't working a job. They have no choice as the mothers sign the contract. Sounds like it's kind cute .

But it's not really. Slave labor of babies.

At first I thought, damn, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this AM. Then I thought, hmmm, sarcasm alert here. Then I read the last line and thought, no one could come up with that bad sarcasm, no matter the time of day

Dude, you would begrudge the elderly a few moments of happiness?

12 ( +16 / -4 )

Kitakyushu has a demographic problem, mostly old people, youngsters move to more fashionable Fukuoka. But they are trying hard to increase its appeal, and it was voted number one city for raising children. This is one of the few initiatives, it has been tried in Europe successfully

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Maybe they should start building nursing homes next to kindergartens? But with an upper limit of four-years-old, maybe not. But, a reasonable idea.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Great idea since their own grandchildren are too busy at school to visit. Excellent!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Nice, I hope more and more nursing home do this, the babies will learn to interact with different people and probably be smarter, the elderly get the best love and smile ever.

Good Luck

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I agree it's a great idea providing there is no risk of the elderly folks slower reactions putting the children's wellbeing at risk. Properly supervised a big thumbs up.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Great idea. There's nothing more heartwarming than the pure love of a child.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

their guardians have to sign a contract stipulating that the babies and toddlers can show up for work "whenever they feel like it".

They are allowed to take a break "when they feel hungry, sleepy or depending on their mood", the contract says.

Well, it's my job! :)

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I can see the positives to this. However, I wonder how their public liability insurance stands if one of these kids gets hurt. Perhaps this is why most care facilities use dogs.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Mmm, mixed thoughts about this.

I can see some old people would be cheered up by having babies and toddlers around the place, with their naive, innocent cuteness and all. And the kiddies would have a good time being spoiled by the jiichans and baachans, especially if they don't have much contact with their own, and Mama is there to keep an eye on things and step in when necessary.

But personally if I were old and stuck in a nursing home and I had to make do with someone else's kids because my own grandkids (or maybe great-grandkids?) didn't, couldn't or wouldn't visit me, I think that would just make me sad.

I'd rather have critters, not just to visit occasionally, but to live in the home all the time.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The quality of care homes depends on the amounts charged. In Kobe there is a retirement hotel overlooking the harbour. Each resident has their own small apartment. With communal areas and activities. 24/7 medical assistance with doctors and nurses present who check on the residents.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

In Japan 30% or 38 million are over 80. In Canada, 1.3 million are over 80.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Sorry babas and gigis, but if you keep voting for the LDP and not in the interest of Japan's younger generations, there aren't going to be many babies to go around. You might not even have a nurse to change your diapers with your anti-immigration anti-foreigner attitudes.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

And, I would rather have a cute kitten, adorable puppy, or a Koala Bear visit me when I am older, but someone else's baby?

You are too young to understand. Wait.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I've always thought something like this would be a really good idea. There once was a nursery school really close to an old-folks home, where I used to live, and remember the old bachans and jichans smiling as they used to watch the kids play.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I volunteered with EOL (End Of Life) people, old and (sadly) young. Bringing a smile to their faces was the most important thing to them, and to me. Any comments here that aim at denying them that pleasure come from fools. But I won't wish them ill when they come to their own EOL. I'll just pity them.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Good idea for sure, except with the ever decreasing number of babies, this is just just masking the issue. And it if the initiative spreads, then the already tiny pool of available babies is not going to go around now, is it?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Aly

when you reach retirement you have to pay a new monthly fee for any future care you might need plus additional fees once in one.

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/care-welfare/care-welfare-elderly/dl/ltcisj_e.pdf

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Long term care insurance paid by all over 40s.

https://japanhpn.org/en/longtermcare/

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Better than therapy dogs.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Digestive flora changes with age, and old people passing theirs to children can make them catch digestive problems easier. Just get some people that can take care of pets and hire them instead.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I thought they were trying same thing using some talking robots.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

There isn’t any free care here. We currently have to pay a monthly charge in case we need a care home. There are also other fees.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1215237/japan-average-monthly-costs-long-term-care-receiver-by-service/

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

In other words Grannies wanting Babies for nursing home! Babies which they merely are at their age caring for babies

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The quality of care homes depends on the amounts charged. 

well of course. That's usually the way it is, but for public free care from what I'Ve seen, Japan isn't that good

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

sorry I meant the public option

Its not just nursing. We have to pay for health care here even if we have coverage, although its cheaper than not having the public option...

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Great. Thanks to YEARS of LDP mismanagement. Now we can't even retire decently

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

in other countries, they bring in dogs for this very purpose... maybe they should try that instead

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

This is what happens when your own family members fail to get married and have children of their own because they are living selfish, purely materialistic lives:

You end up yearning for the babies of strangers to comfort you in your old age.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Which country is that? And which western countries did you live in?

Since you asked

French care home scandal hits Orpea and Korian shares again

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/2065451-french-care-home-scandal-hits-orpea-and-korian-shares-again

Well, Canada, US and France...

All in the west,

Back to you Japan hater.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

These babies are not even being paid money.

And, I would rather have a cute kitten, adorable puppy, or a Koala Bear visit me when I am older, but someone else's baby?

No thank you!

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

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