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NPO Toge Chaya, located in the mountainous Shiga district of Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, operates community-based facilities for the elderly, including day care, home-visit care, and group homes. The facility was opened by Kesako Emori, who is the director of the facility and is still active as a visiting nurse at the age of 83. What I discovered through my own life, which has had its ups and downs, was the importance of “respecting and being close to each other.” (Part 2)
He was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 71. “Death” has become personal to me.
Even now:
Even now, at the age of 83, Ms. Emori works eight hours a day, five days a week, working closely with the elderly as a visiting nurse. “I love working,” so I jumped into nursing care work in my 60s. I take pride in having helped elderly people with dementia and their families be happy by leveraging my career as a nurse to coordinate nursing and nursing care. My experience as a nurse has become a great asset to me now, but on the other hand, I still feel that nursing care is more rewarding than nursing.
For example, even during the coronavirus pandemic, we cannot support the lives of the elderly unless helpers provide nursing care.Some users tearfully thank their helpers, calling them “angels.” I’ve seen many of them, and that feeling can only be experienced by working in nursing care.”
In fact, in April 2024, nursing care fees for home-visit nursing care facilities were revised and reduced. As a result of this, many businesses have faced financial difficulties and closed down. Although nursing care is a social issue that Japan cannot avoid in the future, the environment surrounding front-line workplaces and frontline staff is extremely harsh. Still, Emori continues. “Words of gratitude from users are a great source of encouragement and motivation for home-visit care providers who continue to work closely with the elderly and support them, including their families.
A turning point in a Life:
Mr. Emori was immersed in his work 24 hours a day, but a big turning point came. When she reached her 10th year of running around as a caregiver, she succumbed to a brain tumor at the age of 71. Fortunately, there were no aftereffects after the surgery, and now I only need regular checkups once a year.
However, the experience of changing from being the one who saves lives to being the one who is being saved will have a major impact on the way one lives the rest of their lives.
“As a first-hand experience, I realized that “you only have one life.”
Until then, I thought I had been sincerely supporting the elderly, but only as a third party. Facing “death” as a personal matter led to a determination to also “care for the deceased.”
“At the end of my life, I want to create the best stage for my child.I want to create an environment where everyone will talk to her and take care of her as she goes on her journey.”
