Butterfly Kisses (Terminal Care Facilities)

Text Terminal Care Facilities

A whole day was dedicated to visiting nursing homes for the older persons in Japan and for those with terminal illnesses.

At the Meitetsu line.

We first visited Joyful Sunadabashi, a nursing home for older people. It was probably the nicest one I’ve seen in my entire life. They simulated a whole city with cafes, salons, clinics and suites in order to give older persons a similar experience as life outside the facility. This was during the tour around the suites. A day of stay in this facility costs up to 40, 000 yen (roughly 20, 000 php) per day. @_@

Discussions at the mezzanine

Don’t you think the place is just gorgeous? My jaw kept dropping while I was touring the whole place.

This is the therapy room for the clients. They have everything from TENS to hydrotherapy machines. Older people are brought here from their suites on a regular basis for therapy sessions.

With their physical and occupational therapists, Prof. Iriyama and Oyagi Mie

I really wish we have affordable care facilities as awesome as this for our older persons in the country too.

Ms. Suzuki met our party for lunch at Cafe Loco which was located inside the facility.

Udon and egg pudding for lunch!

Afterwards, we visited Nursing Home Japan, a facility for clients with terminal illnesses. We were able to participate during the music therapy session for all patients which was also the time for their families to visit.

This photo always makes me cry T_T Such a lovely moment portraying how comfort is provided even if life is slowly ebbing away.

And with that, we left grief-stricken.

And there we were during dinner, reminiscing heartbreaking moments with perfect strangers who will leave for another life sooner than we can probably imagine. I’ve never cried while eating seafood cream pasta before this day.