And then, no one was left to do the job of a care manager７
"Don't rush~. What's the key to a good jump?"
"...It starts with a good approach."
This is a conversation between Enoshita and a Shiratorizawa High School volleyball team member who is in rehabilitation, from the manga Haikyuu!!.
Did everyone manage to take a summer vacation?
Some of you may have returned to your hometown, gone on a trip, or spent your time relaxing at home.
As for me, I traveled to Sendai and was able to catch up on some personal errands after the trip.
During summer vacations, Golden Week, New Year's holidays, etc., while you're traveling, spending time with family, or cleaning up the office, there's something that often interrupts your rest: phone calls from clients, families, work associates, or even the ward office.
Imagine this: you're on a trip, and you get a work-related call. Even after the call ends, you can’t stop thinking about work. Can you really enjoy your trip? Can you truly let your mind and body rest?
4.04 times.
This figure represents the effective job-to-applicant ratio for care managers in December 2022. Considering that the average effective job-to-applicant ratio in 2023 is 1.29 times, it’s clear how few people want to become care managers.
There are three main reasons why care managers quit:
The pay is low compared to the demands of the job.
The job is mentally exhausting.
Maintaining the qualification is difficult.
Receiving calls even on holidays falls into category 2, mental exhaustion.
When I was in my late teens and early twenties, I thought working without breaks was cool and adopted that work style. However, by my mid-twenties, I realized that such a work style was unsustainable for long-term careers and that it decreased productivity.
Rest is essential for recharging your energy so that you can jump higher in the future. Rest allows you to relieve the daily stress of work and gain the mental resilience to continue working. Additionally, going to unfamiliar places, reading new books, or watching new movies on your days off expands your knowledge and experience. This accumulation of experiences increases your personal appeal and can even benefit your work.
The work of a care manager has no clear boundaries. In home care (helpers), your responsibility is limited to the service time provided, for example, from 9:00 to 10:00. In day care services, your responsibility is only during the hours the service is provided.
But for care managers, there are no such boundaries.
What do people fear the most? It's "not knowing what lies ahead."
If you spend an entire year not knowing when you might receive a call, even during holidays or at night, it’s easy to imagine how one’s mental health could deteriorate. Unless we change this work style, even those who become care managers may quickly suffer mental health issues and quit, perpetuating a negative cycle.
The first thing we should address is eliminating calls from work associates and government offices outside of business hours and on holidays. Our company's summer vacation was from August 12th to 15th, during which I received three calls from family, six from work associates, and three from the ward office. Thanks to the "No Calls Movement" I've been promoting since 2018, the number of calls has decreased to about a third.
People working in hospitals may not have days off in the traditional sense, but they should have some time off, even if it doesn't align perfectly with Obon. Although there might not be an official summer vacation for the ward office, the public servants working there, who receive above-average salaries just for being employed, are likely taking more days off than us.
It's crucial not to infringe on others' holidays just because you are working.
Unfortunately, many adults seem to struggle with this basic consideration. While one phone call may not break someone’s spirit, each call you make chips away at the recipient's mental resilience.
Does that call really need to be made today, on a holiday? Please take a moment to think about it.
Who do you end up hurting when you lose your mental resilience? It's your family and yourself, the very people you should prioritize above work.
The stress you accumulate from work inevitably affects your family once you return home. If you are highly capable and attractive in your 20s or 30s, there’s a good chance you live with a wonderful partner and adorable children.
It is heartbreaking to think of the negative cycle affecting your family because of the stress, low pay, and lack of growth in your job.
Even if you are not a care manager, I hope you can recognize this situation and offer your support. Care managers are undoubtedly the key to "Long-Term Care Insurance." Without them, people wouldn't be able to use day services, hire helpers, or rent beds.
The worst-case scenario would be a time when no one wants to become a care manager.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could understand and support this reality from any perspective.