VIENID Start practicing

Home › Lessons › National Exam for Certified Care Workers 介護福祉士

Comprehensive Case Problems (Sogo Mondai)

National Exam for Certified Care Workers 介護福祉士 · 介護福祉士国家試験(筆記) · Written by Tokutei Pass based on the official study texts; not copied verbatim.

Structure of Comprehensive Problems (4 Cases × 3 Questions = 12 Questions) and Cross-Subject Integration

The final domain of the Certified Care Worker National Exam, 'Comprehensive Problems' (Questions 114–125, 12 questions in total), consists of 4 long case vignettes (Cases 1–4), each followed by a '3-question sequential set.'

Rather than testing isolated subject knowledge, this domain evaluates practical ability to synthesize knowledge, skills, and ethics across all 3 exam domains ('Human and Society,' 'Mind and Body Mechanisms,' and 'Caregiving') within a single user's case.

Each vignette is 250–400 Japanese characters long, presenting the user's age, sex, diseases, care level or disability support category, life history, family structure, and current services, unfolding across a timeline ('thereafter,' 'six months later,' etc.).

Typically, the first 2 cases (Cases 1 and 2) focus on 'Older Adults' (dementia, cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, fractures), while the latter 2 cases (Cases 3 and 4) focus on 'Persons with Disabilities' (physical, intellectual, mental, developmental, or intractable diseases).

Furthermore, 'Comprehensive Problems (12 questions)' is one of the 4 domains subject to the minimum passing score rule (requiring at least 1 point in every subject group), making it a high-priority scoring section.

Key points


  • Comprehensive Problems comprise '4 long cases × 3 questions = 12 questions,' covering 2 older adult cases and 2 disability cases

  • Evaluates the ability to integrate medical knowledge, daily living support skills, communication, and social systems along a timeline
WordMeaning
Comprehensive Problems (4 cases × 3 sequential questions = 12 questions)
Cross-subject integration (synthesizing all 3 domains)
Unfolding along a timeline (condition changes)
Older adult cases and Disability cases

Golden Rule of the 3-Question Structure (Linking Medicine, Care Techniques, and Legal Systems)

In 'Question 1' of each case, questions typically test the 'medical characteristics, symptoms, and body mechanisms' of the user's disease or disability, brain lesion diagrams, genograms, or assessment perspectives.

In 'Question 2,' questions test 'concrete daily living support techniques' (transfers, meals, bathing, excretion, home modification, assistive devices) or 'communication techniques (verbal approach)' tailored to those characteristics.

In 'Question 3,' questions test 'utilization of legal systems and social resources,' 'multidisciplinary collaboration,' or 'care plan revision' following the passage of time or changes in condition (discharge, worsening symptoms, family illness, disasters).

Thus, the 3 questions mirror the actual flow of care practice: '(1) Understand the disease and background → (2) Provide appropriate hands-on care and communication → (3) Support long-term community living through systems and teamwork.'

Even if you are unsure about medical details in Question 1, additional context in Questions 2 and 3 often provides valuable clues, so reading through all 3 questions before answering is highly effective.

Key points


  • Question 1: Disease, symptoms, medical features, or assessment (Mind & Body, Dementia, and Disability Understanding)

  • Questions 2 & 3: Concrete daily living support/communication skills, and legal systems/multidisciplinary collaboration after status changes
WordMeaning
Question 1 (Disease understanding, body mechanisms, assessment)
Question 2 (Daily living support techniques, communication, assistive devices)
Question 3 (Legal systems, multidisciplinary collaboration, care process)
Reading all 3 questions together to grasp the whole case

Typical Pattern of Case 1: Supporting Older Adults with Dementia or Parkinson's Disease

In 'Comprehensive Problem 1,' cases frequently feature older adults with Alzheimer's dementia, Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), or Parkinson's disease living at home or in a group home.

In DLB cases, questions test understanding of vivid 'visual hallucinations' (seeing insects or children), 'parkinsonism' (shuffling gait, falls), 'REM sleep behavior disorder,' and 'diurnal fluctuations,' alongside non-denying responses and lighting adjustments.

In FTD cases, rather than forcibly stopping disinhibition or 'stereotypic behaviors' (walking the exact same route at the same time daily), workers watch over safety and incorporate the user's routine into the care plan.

In Parkinson's disease cases, questions cover the Hoehn & Yahr severity stages (postural reflex impairment appears from Stage III), scheduling meals and baths around the 'wearing-off phenomenon' when medication wears off, and floor marker tapes.

Furthermore, to address family caregiver exhaustion, cases expand into utilizing Dementia Cafes, family peer support groups, Short-Stay respite care, or Small-Scale Multifunctional In-Home Care.

Typical Pattern of Case 1: Supporting Older Adults with Dementia or Parkinson's Disease

Key points


  • Visual hallucinations and fall prevention in DLB; watching over stereotypic behavior without forcible restraint in FTD

  • Understanding Hoehn & Yahr stages and the wearing-off phenomenon (timing care when medication is effective) in Parkinson's disease
WordMeaning
Dementia with Lewy Bodies (visual hallucinations, parkinsonism)
Frontotemporal Dementia (stereotypic behavior, disinhibition)
Hoehn & Yahr severity classification and Wearing-off phenomenon
Dementia Cafe and Small-Scale Multifunctional In-Home Care

Typical Pattern of Case 2: Care Transitions After Stroke or Fracture and End-of-Life Care

In 'Comprehensive Problem 2,' cases often follow older adults with hemiplegia or dysphagia after cerebral infarction/hemorrhage or femoral neck fracture transitioning across settings: 'Hospital → Long-Term Care Health Facility (Rouken) → Home → Intensive Care Home (Tokuyou).'

Medically, questions test the link between brain lesions and symptoms: right hemisphere damage causes 'left hemiplegia and left unilateral spatial neglect,' whereas left hemisphere damage causes 'right hemiplegia and aphasia (Broca's/Wernicke's),' plus disuse syndrome, aspiration pneumonia, and dehydration.

In daily living support techniques, questions reliably test sitting up in bed, wheelchair transfers (approaching from the sound side), three-point cane walking, 'Dakken Chakkan' dressing, and bathtub entry/exit (sound leg first both ways).

During home return transitions, questions integrate pre-discharge conferences, home assessments, Long-Term Care Insurance home modifications (handrails, step removal), assistive device rental, and specified welfare equipment sales (bath aids, portable toilets).

When the case progresses to end-of-life care at a facility, key points include respecting Advance Care Planning (ACP), collaborating with physicians and nurses, and supporting the family's wavering emotions.

Key points


  • Correspondence between brain lesion site and symptoms (Right brain = Left hemiplegia & Left neglect; Left brain = Right hemiplegia & Aphasia)

  • Integrating hemiplegia care techniques (sound-side approach, cane gait, Dakken Chakkan, bathing) with home modification and ACP
WordMeaning
Left unilateral spatial neglect (right brain lesion) and Aphasia (left brain lesion)
Home return support (pre-discharge conference, home modification)
Specified welfare equipment sales vs. Welfare equipment rental
ACP (Advance Care Planning / Life Conference)

Typical Pattern of Case 3: Community Living and Social Participation for Mid-Life Disabilities and Intractable Diseases

In 'Comprehensive Problem 3,' cases center on community living for middle-aged adults (40s–60s) with higher brain dysfunction after stroke, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, or a stoma.

In higher brain dysfunction cases, questions test understanding of 'apraxia' (inability to perform purposeful movements), 'agnosia,' 'executive dysfunction' (difficulty planning steps), and 'social behavior disorders,' alongside using memory notes and step-by-step guides.

In progressive intractable diseases like ALS, while motor neurons degenerate, '4 functions remain preserved until the end': eye movement, bladder/rectal function, sensation (pain/touch), and intellect—linking to transparent kana boards, communication devices, suctioning, and gastrostomy care.

For individuals aged 40–64 with one of the 16 specified diseases (e.g., ALS, cerebrovascular disease, presenile dementia), they qualify as Category 2 insured persons under Long-Term Care Insurance, raising the principle of Long-Term Care Insurance priority combined with disability welfare services.

For employment and social participation, questions test Employment Transition Support, Continuous Employment Support (Type A = with employment contract; Type B = without employment contract), Visiting Care for Persons with Severe Disabilities, Accompanying Support (visual), and Behavior Support (intellectual/mental).

Key points


  • Understand higher brain dysfunction (apraxia, agnosia, executive dysfunction) and the 4 preserved functions in ALS (eye movement, sensation, bladder/bowel, intellect)

  • Distinguish Continuous Employment Support Type A (contract) vs. Type B (non-contract), Accompanying Support, Behavior Support, and Severe Visiting Care
WordMeaning
Higher brain dysfunction (attention, executive function, apraxia, agnosia)
4 preserved functions in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Employment Transition Support and Continuous Employment Support (Type A / Type B)
Severe Visiting Care, Accompanying Support, and Behavior Support

Typical Pattern of Case 4: Disability Support Facilities, Group Homes, Disaster Preparedness, and Inclusive Society

In 'Comprehensive Problem 4,' cases frequently feature users with intellectual disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), deafblindness, or spinal cord injury (paraplegia, tetraplegia, autonomic dysreflexia) living in Disability Support Facilities or Group Homes.

For users with ASD or intellectual disabilities, to prevent panic triggered by environmental changes, schedule changes, or auditory hypersensitivity, workers use 'visual structuring' with picture cards and secure quiet spaces for cooling down.

In cervical or high thoracic spinal cord injury cases, key points include 'autonomic dysreflexia'—acute hypertension, headache, sweating, and bradycardia triggered by bladder distension or fecal impaction—and wheelchair push-ups for pressure relief.

Recent exams frequently feature 'disaster preparedness' (evacuation drills, Welfare Evacuation Shelters, Individual Evacuation Plans) and 'Symbiotic (Inclusive) Services' allowing aging persons with disabilities to continue using familiar providers after turning 65.

Questions may also incorporate On-the-Job Training (OJT) for new staff and Supervision (supportive, educational, and administrative functions).

Key points


  • Visual structuring and sensory care in ASD; 'autonomic dysreflexia' (triggered by urinary retention or constipation) in high spinal cord injury

  • Understand Welfare Evacuation Shelters, Individual Evacuation Plans, Symbiotic Services, OJT, and the 3 functions of Supervision
WordMeaning
Autonomic dysreflexia (cervical and high thoracic spinal cord injury)
Symbiotic Services (Kyouseigata Service) and aging disability support
Welfare Evacuation Shelters and Individual Evacuation Plans
On-the-Job Training (OJT) and Supervision

Reading Genograms and Eco-Maps, and Supporting Families and Siblings of Children with Disabilities

Comprehensive Problems sometimes include visual diagrams such as a 'Genogram' (family tree illustrating family relationships) or an 'Eco-Map' (ecological map illustrating connections between the user/family and social resources).

In a Genogram: males are represented by a 'Square (□),' females by a 'Circle (○),' the index person by a 'double square or double circle,' deceased persons by an 'X or shaded symbol,' marriage by a solid line, divorce by double slashes, and cohabiting household members by an enclosing line.

In cases involving 'siblings of persons with disabilities' (Kyoudai-ji) or 'Young Carers' (such as the 37th National Exam), questions emphasize family support that attends to the loneliness and self-restraint experienced by siblings when parental attention focuses on the child with a disability.

In households where aging parents support an adult child with a disability ('After-Parents-Pass-Away Problem' or '8050 Problem'), parental hospitalization or dementia can trigger a household crisis, requiring collaboration between Long-Term Care Insurance (parent) and Disability Welfare (child) consultation agencies.

The perspective of the 'Multi-Layered Support System Development Project'—organically linking Community General Support Centers, Core Consultation Support Centers, Adult Guardianship, and Daily Life Independence Support Projects—is essential.

Reading Genograms and Eco-Maps, and Supporting Families and Siblings of Children with Disabilities

Key points


  • Master basic Genogram symbols (□ = Male, ○ = Female, double border = Index person, enclosing line = Cohabiting household) and Eco-Maps

  • Psychological care for 'siblings (Kyoudai-ji)' and multi-layered support for households with aging parents and disabled children (8050)
WordMeaning
Genogram (family tree) and Eco-Map (ecological map)
Support for siblings of persons with disabilities (Kyoudai-ji) and Young Carers
After-Parents-Pass-Away Problem and the 8050 Problem
Multi-Layered Support System Development Project

Practical Test-Taking Strategies for Mastering Comprehensive Problems

Tip 1 for solving Comprehensive Problems: before reading the long case text, briefly scan the '3 question stems' so you read the passage with key targets (disease name, time point, setting, role) in mind.

Tip 2: accurately identify 'which point in time the question asks about' (during hospitalization, right after discharge home, or after moving into a group home) and 'whose role is being asked' (home helper, facility care worker, or life support worker).

Tip 3: spot common 'incorrect option patterns' on the national exam. Options such as 'immediately recommend facility admission,' 'perform all movements on the user's behalf,' 'prioritize only the family's wishes,' or 'strongly persuade or restrain the user' are in principle wrong.

Conversely, correct answers consistently center on: 'listening to and accepting the user's feelings and life history,' 'utilizing residual functions (strengths) and adjusting the environment,' 'supporting self-determination,' and 'collaborating with medical staff and Care Managers.'

On exam day, to avoid running out of time on the final 12 questions, budget about 5–6 minutes per case (3 questions)—leaving 20–25 minutes total for the 4 cases to solve them calmly.

Key points


  • Accurately identify 'which time point, setting, and professional role' each question specifies in the vignette

  • Eliminate options involving 'full assistance takeover, persuasion, or unilateral decisions,' and choose 'user-centeredness, residual function use, and teamwork'
WordMeaning
Previewing question stems and tracking chronological scene shifts
User-centeredness and respecting self-determination
Utilizing residual functions (Strengths)
Time management (reserving 20–25 minutes for the 4 cases / 12 questions)

Integrated Case Questions

Practice this chapter in the app

Official references