Features of a short stay service facility for the severely motor and intellectually disabled persons in relation to the Niigata Chuetsu Prefecture earthquake in 2004
Kameda, K.; Izumi, R.; Konishi, T.; Yamatani, M.; Yamada, K-Ichi.
No to Hattatsu 39(3): 198-201
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-0831 PMID: 17515133 Document Number: 608925
Twenty-four handicapped victims of the Niigata-Chuetsu earthquake have used our " short-stay- service". We have summarized the characteristics of this utilization.Two prominent patterns were noted: 1) The mean duration of the stays was clearly longer when compared to ordinary service, and correlated with the proximity of the victims to the focus of the earthquake, and 2) victims living near the epicenter took longer to start utilizing the short-stay service. The Niigata-Chuetsu earthquake has destroyed roads and highways at over 200 locations, preventing transportation, isolating the seismic center, and resulting in delayed rescue of the handicapped victims and their admittance to the institution. More of the 24 victims were from the severest region (on 7 of the Japanese seismic intensity scale) than from the violent region (scale 6).Unfortunately, the social and administrative network for supporting and protecting severely motor and intellectually disabled persons is still at an embryonic stages. Based of this experience, we propose the building and organization of a functional network for the disabled.