The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry will begin a model project this fiscal year to test the use of advanced technologies at facilities that provide assistance to people with disabilities.

In the project, the ministry will examine how to apply the technologies to best suit certain disability types, how the technologies might improve daily operations, challenges to introducing them and other issues.

The project aims to reduce the burden on workers and improve the quality of services at facilities for people with disabilities.

About 2,500 facilities in Japan accept people with disabilities who are in need of nursing care. They face the same challenge as nursing care facilities for the elderly — how to reduce the burden on their workers.

However, progress in the use of advanced technologies has been slow because the type of care required by people with disabilities largely differs based on disability type.

Still, technologies that are already being used in the nursing care field are seen as prime candidates to be introduced at facilities for the disabled. They include power assist suits for helping to move people from bed to wheelchair, and devices with sensors for monitoring people in need of constant care.

Facilities that participate in the model project receive financial aid for introducing technologies that help people with disabilities move about, relieve themselves and bathe; assist staff with lifting and moving people; and monitor people in need of constant care.

A subsidy of up to ¥300,000 is provided to facilities planning to introduce technologies costing ¥100,000 or more.

The ministry has budgeted ¥15 million for the project in the current fiscal year, and intends to introduce the technologies in at least 50 facilities for the disabled.

The advanced technologies are likely to be introduced at the facilities this autumn at the earliest. Based on the results of the model project, the ministry plans to prepare the environment for their full-scale introduction.