TOPIC: Impact of Digitalization on Social Care and Social Work: Practical and Ethical Issues Found from Japanese Experience
Bio:
Mai Yamaguchi is a Professor in Department of Integrated Human Studies and Graduate School of Social work at Japan Lutheran College, Japan. She is Director of the Comprehensive Clinical Consultation Centre at Japan Lutheran College and Director of Carers Japan. MSG (University of Southern California, USA); PhD in Social Work (Sophia University, Japan). Her research interests are:
- Long term care and supporting carer;
- Gerontological Social work
- Social care and technology.
Professor Yamaguchi has implemented and/or joined numerous research projects in the fields of Long-term Care and/or Studies on caring. She has led the Japan-Lithuania Joint Seminar (Technologies in Social Care: Considering Future Directions for Social Work Professionals in Japan and Lithuania) in 2019.
Abstract:
As we faced the rapid technological innovation around globe, it is important to discuss what changes technology would bring about to policy, practice, education and research in the field of social work and social care. Especially in Japan, due to demographic challenges and a shortage of human service workers, the importance of DX (Digital Transformation) is argued. The presentation aims to explore the impact of digitalization on social care and social work and to consider practical and ethical issues found from Japanese experience. I would like to explain the Japanese experience of political and practical shift toward various type of digitalization including robotization, AI assisted practice, and other technological innovations in social care and social work. Discussion includes the impact of digitalization on social work and social care and practical and ethical issues found from Japanese experience. Implications for social work practitioners, educators and researchers will be explored.