impoverished elderly; poor senior citizens
A sociological term popularized by the 2015 book 下流老人 (Karyū Rōjin) by 藤田孝典 (Fujita Takanori), referring to elderly people living in poverty with insufficient income, savings, and social support. It is a relatively new and somewhat rare term outside of social welfare discussions.
The term 'karyū rōjin' became widely known through Fujita Takanori's book.
An increasing number of elderly people are falling into the 'impoverished elderly' category, unable to live on their pension alone.
A more general and neutral term for 'elderly in poverty', while 下流老人 carries a specific sociological nuance from the book and implies a broader decline in social status.
Refers to 'bankruptcy in old age', focusing on financial ruin, whereas 下流老人 describes the resulting state of poverty and social marginalization.
Coined by social worker Fujita Takanori in his 2015 book 下流老人 (Karyū Rōjin). The term combines 下流 (karyū, 'downstream' or 'lower class') with 老人 (rōjin, 'elderly person'), reflecting the idea of elderly people who have fallen into poverty and social isolation.