Yutaka Miyzaki's will to help the physically and mentally challenged

Yutaka Miyazaki is a special person. He is a doctor in a small town in northern Japan. Even though his home life is rural, his heart is as wide as the earth, and his heart is as deep as compassion will allow.

Dr. M could have opened his own clinic and served his community’s colds, flus, hay fevers, and general ailments, as many with his training do here. But instead of following that conventional route, Dr. M decided to devote his life to promoting the welfare of people who are physically and mentally challenged.

Rather than provide care with the attitude of these noble individuals needing handouts, Dr. M believes his “clients” should be given every opportunity to care for and support themselves. He encourages independent living and work experience wherever possible. And he always says, “Why not?”

That unsettling question rocks and shakes preconceived notions so that new awareness can unfold and greater possibilities can open up.

Dr. M’s concerns are also for the elderly. Currently in Japan there is a steadily declining birthrate. That is coupled with the greatest number of centenarians in the world. This imbalance, which is increasing yearly, is an enormous concern for the government. “Who will care for the oldsters? And how can we afford to care for them?”

Dr. M is also seeking ways to resolve that knotty issue. “There have to be several approaches”, he wisely points out. Some seniors can follow Japanese traditional ways and live with their oldest son’s family. Others can enter assisted living facilities or nursing homes here in Japan. Since not many young people want to work in geriatrics, possibly older staff and “Home Helpers” can care for those older than they. That is, the less old can care for the older old.

There is also the possibility of retirees going to live in other countries. Many have already relocated in Thailand. It is warm there; plus life is less expensive; and affordable help is readily available. Another possibility, which Dr. M is working on, is for foreign nurses to come to Japan to care for the old. Dr. M make frequent trips to China and Southeast Asia, trying to make arrangements for foreign care givers to enter Japan and work here easily. Bureaucratic and social hurdles are many, but “It can be done”, says forever hopeful Dr. M.

Because of the declining birthrates, many elementary and secondary schools are closing. Because of that, there are an abundance of abandoned schools dotting the cities and countryside. The government is trying to come up with constructive ways to utilize these valuable properties. In Dr. M’s town there is such an edifice, huge and with a swimming pool.

“This is not a problem”, says Dr. M. “This is the answer to my long-held dream.” For years Dr. M has wanted to open a sheltered workshop for his patients. And as soon as he heard there was a vacant school in his city, he set about contacting people for his project: government officials, nursing staff, physiotherapists, architects, cleaning crew, building custodians, and gardeners. In true Japanese style, they all met together to discuss the situation and come up with ways for this admirable plan to work.

To his delight, things have been running quite smoothly. The government will lease the space with no charge! And everything can easily be made barrier free. Trained staff and volunteers will assist the challenged individuals as they develop job skills. Curiously, the biggest hitch has with the cleaning crew. They will be hired by contract, which means they are a for-profit outfit, while all the others involved are not. But good businessman that he is, Dr. M soon resolved that dilemma and once again the project is going ahead happily.

Dr. M’s expansive imagination sees his people washing and ironing sheets for hotels and hospitals. He envisions them cleaning and repairing wheelchairs and beds for nursing homes and other health care facilities. He believes his people can grow and sell vegetables in the community. And even now some who are physically disabled, but college students, are already translating books from other countries in order to educate the Japanese general public about the important topic of persons who are people of dignity first and foremost, and yet are also physically and mentally challenged.

As for the problematic pool, “Why not raise turtles for soup, frogs for the delicacy of their legs, and fish for sushi?” smiles Dr. M.

Dr. M’s eyes dance whenever he talks about his beloved project. “I’m not in this to make a profit. I’m in this to give people a chance: people who would otherwise be left out of society. I want them to be a contributing and integral part of the community. And I truly believe they can be. The public’s attitude will have to change. We will have to work very hard. But I know it can be done. In fact, I am sure of it. The process has already begun. And it is growing beautifully, day by precious day.”