Group Work with the Aged Blind Japanese in the Nursing Home and in the Community

Abstract

A nurse views the problems of multiple losses affecting aged blind persons in a long-term care facility. Cultural differences complicate the attempted solutions, hence the search for answers is extended into the community. It is noted that the Japanese blind in the community, because of feelings of shame and reluctance to be seen, are an “invisibile minority” needing assistance much as do the hospitalized aged blind. The use of “group work” in the community and in the convalescent hospital was found to be an effective means of resocializing and rehabilitating aged blind Japanese clients.