"Whose Job Is It?" Shadow Work Concentrated on Care Managers: Ichirou Survey Reveals 98% Experience Non-Essential Tasks
Ichirou Inc. surveyed 63 care managers and found that 98% have experienced "shadow work"—unclear or non-essential duties like ambulance accompaniment or custody. Two out of three feel burdened by these systemic issues.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 19:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 00:02 (4h 52m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 06:33 (6h 31m after Collected)
Ichirou Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yuki Mizuno) recently held an exchange meeting for care managers. During this session, frank opinions were exchanged regarding daily operations and field challenges, with "shadow work"—tasks that are not core duties—emerging as a common concern. Realities such as having to handle custody, accompanying patients during emergency transport, and acting as agents for administrative procedures were shared. Participants voiced frustrations like "it's hard to refuse" and "there is no one else to handle it, so I have no choice," highlighting the heavy burden on the field. Following this, an online survey was conducted among care managers, receiving 63 responses. This release reports on the reality of shadow work among care managers based on those results.
■ Survey Overview
Target: Care managers (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Aichi, Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo)
Valid Responses: 63
Subject: Ichirou Inc.
Method: Web Survey
Period: April 17 (Fri) to April 20 (Mon), 2026
■ Result 1: Normalization of Shadow Work
98% of care managers reported experiencing non-essential task handling. The frequency was most commonly "several times a month," but responses like "several times a week" and "almost every day" were also seen, indicating it occurs daily.
■ Result 2: Diverse Range of Tasks
Particularly common were tasks typically expected of family members, such as hospital accompaniment, administrative procedures, and ambulance accompaniment. Furthermore, duties exceeding institutional expectations, like custody and utility payment procedures, are also being performed.
■ Result 3: 2 Out of 3 Feel the Burden
Two-thirds of care managers responded that they "feel the burden" of shadow work. It became clear that many in the field carry these non-essential tasks as invisible burdens.
■ Result 4: Underlying Structural Issues
The most common reasons for shadow work were: 1) Long-term care insurance cannot handle it, 2) Family support is unavailable, and 3) Emergency response is needed. Additionally, the perception that "it's natural for care managers to do it" and requests from medical/administrative sources indicate this is a structural issue rather than an individual one.
■ Result 5: The Reality of "No One Else to Rely On"
74.6% of respondents reported feeling a psychological burden when refusing non-essential requests. Care managers struggle with these requests daily. Criteria for deciding whether to respond included professional viewpoints like "risk to life" or "urgency," but social factors like "living alone with no relatives," "family is far away or uncooperative," and "no other supporters" had a strong influence. Even for tasks outside their scope, a structure exists where they practically cannot refuse because "daily life wouldn't function without help," resulting in significant psychological strain.
■ Ichirou Hosted Care Manager Exchange Meeting
On April 4, 2026 (Sat), the company held a documentary screening and exchange meeting for care managers, attended by 20 professionals from the Tokyo metropolitan area. The film depicted a couple in their 80s and 90s living their own way, prompting reflection on elderly life and care. The exchange session discussed themes like "what is ideal care" alongside field challenges. Specifically, voices were raised about support exceeding institutional limits and the difficulty of role-sharing with families and communities. On the other hand, participants also shared the rewards they feel, such as receiving words of gratitude, seeing the expanded range of life for users, and when teamwork among related organizations functions well. The event provided insight into the reality of the field, balancing challenges with fulfillment.
■ Survey Overview
Target: Care managers (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Aichi, Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo)
Valid Responses: 63
Subject: Ichirou Inc.
Method: Web Survey
Period: April 17 (Fri) to April 20 (Mon), 2026
■ Result 1: Normalization of Shadow Work
98% of care managers reported experiencing non-essential task handling. The frequency was most commonly "several times a month," but responses like "several times a week" and "almost every day" were also seen, indicating it occurs daily.
■ Result 2: Diverse Range of Tasks
Particularly common were tasks typically expected of family members, such as hospital accompaniment, administrative procedures, and ambulance accompaniment. Furthermore, duties exceeding institutional expectations, like custody and utility payment procedures, are also being performed.
■ Result 3: 2 Out of 3 Feel the Burden
Two-thirds of care managers responded that they "feel the burden" of shadow work. It became clear that many in the field carry these non-essential tasks as invisible burdens.
■ Result 4: Underlying Structural Issues
The most common reasons for shadow work were: 1) Long-term care insurance cannot handle it, 2) Family support is unavailable, and 3) Emergency response is needed. Additionally, the perception that "it's natural for care managers to do it" and requests from medical/administrative sources indicate this is a structural issue rather than an individual one.
■ Result 5: The Reality of "No One Else to Rely On"
74.6% of respondents reported feeling a psychological burden when refusing non-essential requests. Care managers struggle with these requests daily. Criteria for deciding whether to respond included professional viewpoints like "risk to life" or "urgency," but social factors like "living alone with no relatives," "family is far away or uncooperative," and "no other supporters" had a strong influence. Even for tasks outside their scope, a structure exists where they practically cannot refuse because "daily life wouldn't function without help," resulting in significant psychological strain.
■ Ichirou Hosted Care Manager Exchange Meeting
On April 4, 2026 (Sat), the company held a documentary screening and exchange meeting for care managers, attended by 20 professionals from the Tokyo metropolitan area. The film depicted a couple in their 80s and 90s living their own way, prompting reflection on elderly life and care. The exchange session discussed themes like "what is ideal care" alongside field challenges. Specifically, voices were raised about support exceeding institutional limits and the difficulty of role-sharing with families and communities. On the other hand, participants also shared the rewards they feel, such as receiving words of gratitude, seeing the expanded range of life for users, and when teamwork among related organizations functions well. The event provided insight into the reality of the field, balancing challenges with fulfillment.