Retired Japanese sumo wrestler Hiromi Yamada, who competed under the name Wakatoba, takes care of an elderly woman at the Hanasaki daycare centre in Tokyo on April 6. Countries around the Asia-Pacific are in dire need of care staff, leading them to think outside the box in addition to importing labour from overseas. Photo: AFP
Retired Japanese sumo wrestler Hiromi Yamada, who competed under the name Wakatoba, takes care of an elderly woman at the Hanasaki daycare centre in Tokyo on April 6. Countries around the Asia-Pacific are in dire need of care staff, leading them to think outside the box in addition to importing labour from overseas. Photo: AFP
Helen Dempster
Opinion

Opinion

Helen Dempster

Ageing Asia needs immigration reform to end care worker shortage

  • Asian countries in need of long-term carers cannot meet the growing demand through domestic recruitment alone
  • Multi-year visas, emigration that benefits countries of origin and regional collaboration can all help ensure proper care

Helen Dempster
Helen Dempster

Updated: 9:45am, 12 May, 2022

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Retired Japanese sumo wrestler Hiromi Yamada, who competed under the name Wakatoba, takes care of an elderly woman at the Hanasaki daycare centre in Tokyo on April 6. Countries around the Asia-Pacific are in dire need of care staff, leading them to think outside the box in addition to importing labour from overseas. Photo: AFP
Retired Japanese sumo wrestler Hiromi Yamada, who competed under the name Wakatoba, takes care of an elderly woman at the Hanasaki daycare centre in Tokyo on April 6. Countries around the Asia-Pacific are in dire need of care staff, leading them to think outside the box in addition to importing labour from overseas. Photo: AFP
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