Tackling Social Isolation Amongst Older People Through Local Co-Production

Demographic aging is an international trend. A negative consequence of aging has been the emergence of social isolation amongst the elderly. We examine Japanese cases of local co-production ensuring the wellbeing of the elderly. In a Kanagawa Prefecture case study, we consider how large-scale co-production involving municipalities collaborating with commissioned welfare volunteers, local community groups and businesses have tackled social isolation and the attendant problem of lonely death. In a case study of Tsukumi we examine how small-scale co-production has addressed social isolation through a collaboration of neighborhood groups and local government. Various policy implications are drawn from the analysis.