It's morning time at Azalee, a Japanese social welfare corporation,
and we find ourselves in one of their nursing homes.
Good morning. Nice seeing you again.
Since it's morning, it's also meeting time!
Before they start to work, they have this kind of gathering, like assembly,
and they explain what is the daily activities. The everyday reflection.
What you did and what you were not able to do. and they explain what is the daily activities. The everyday reflection.
What you did and what you were not able to do.
Ok, great job.
Ok, Let's do it.
Hair, good.
Name tag, good.
Uniform, good.
Ok, show your hand to your partner, nails, good.
1,2,1,2,1,2,3.
1,2,3,4,5.
Have a great day. Have a great day.
Ok, great job.
Unbeaten by rain, we'll do it! Yeah!
Have a great day.
Now that the day has officially begun, Fukuhara-san will show us how the long term residents live.
Ok, are you ready?
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
On a daily basis, all throughout Japan, an exercise routine is broadcast.
Relax your muscles. Gently, gently.
Notice how it's designed to be doable for those sitting as well as standing.
People who are sitting, try as much as you comfortably can.
Put down your arm.
As you'll find out, there's lots going on, and Fukuhara-san walks at a pace that reflects this.
Oh, she is not there today... good morning.
Today the tea person isn't here, is she?
Today we have a guest. He's going film us here and there.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
Oh, sorry to bother you.
Ms.Keiriki, good morning.
We have a visitor today.
I see.
To see you, Ms. Nakajima.
I see.
He is going take a picture of you for your matchmaking profile.
Hahahaha.
As you walk around, you notice a lot of medical care being dispensed,
whether it be the hallways, meeting areas, or bedrooms.
-Am I going to be video taped? - Yes.
Oh no, what should I do?!
I would have been dressed up if I knew.
This is for a muscle pain.
it is called thermotherapy.
it sends some waves for better blood circulation.
This machine eases the pain by doing that.
Good morning.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
Ok, 142 over 80.
It's very good. Nervous about the camera?
Hahaha.
Ok, next.
Wear this here today.
99% and 98 times.
Good.
- Same as always. - Same as always.
She already has a painful face.
Ok, do it. Good job.
Ok, good job.
And now we travel across the milky way to the new wing of the care house.
- Good morning. - Excuse me.
How old are you , Ms.Yamanaka?
- 94. - 94 years old.
- 94 years old? - 95 using the traditional Japanese way.
- 95 in the Japanese way - but really 94.
He is going to take a picture for your matchmaking profile.
- I see. - Hahaha.
Ms. Taki, how old are you?
Ms.Taki is the same age. You guys would be the classmates, wouldn't you?
- Please follow. - Ok.
- Show him the room, will you?
- I like tiding up. - Yes, you do.
How do you like your room? Do you sleep comfortably?
- Yes. - She says she does.
She goes out to karaoke.
- Karaoke? - I love karaoke!
Hahahaha.
This parts go up.
Like this.
Nurse call. They use it when they have trouble. Let's try it.
Are you okay, Ms. Kimi?
Sorry it's a test. She's fine.
- Ok. - Ok, thank you.
Nurse call.
This shows that this nurse takes care of this room.
Yeah like a dentist, like a G.P., general practitioners come,
and also some beauty parlors.
Are you ok if I don't cut it too short?
Do you want to show your ears?
- He'll take your picture. - Hahaha. Oh stop it.
Please wait while I clean your dentures.
I'll put in your dentures. How are they?
Feeling okay? Okay, it's done. - Are you okay?
- Thank you so much. - My pleasure.
On top of senior care, Azalee also caters to the young as well.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
- Finish! - Whistle!
Children of Azalee staff get priority for available spots.
I always love seeing the small toilets and sinks, so cute.
And over here is where the teachers hang.
Are you guys going somewhere today?
- We'll practice the graduation ceremony. - Oh, practice the graduation ceremony.
1,2.
When you are feeling down and wanting to cry,
Please remember
Great job!
Okay, let's go over there and practice the grad.
See you later! See you later!
The nice thing about having both senior and child care centres,
is that on occasion,
both the young and old get to visit and enjoy each other's company.
No, this is not a fun slide for the kids, but rather an escape slide for the seniors.
In another time line, the day service seniors arrive.
The pick up van has arrived.
Good morning. Good to see you again.
- Hi there. - Good morning.
- 101 years old.
- 101 years old? - Looking great!
And now Nozaki-san will tell us how the day service works.
So when they arrive here, we check their temperature and blood pressure,
then if there's no problem, some go take a bath,
do some exercise.
other people drink tea and chat with each other while waiting
Then at 11 o'clock there's a morning assembly with everyone
exercise with everyone, special exercise for good swallowing,
then lunch around,
then lunch around 12 o'clock.
After lunch, drink coffee or tea,
Then there's afternoon recreation time like hand craft making or entertainment shows.
Now she tries to use her left hand.
so she can knit scarves or anything.
So they do activities for about an hour or hour and half,
then eat a snack and gradually go home.
That's they daily routine.
I've become super energetic since I started coming here.
Oh really, that's so great.
Really since I came here. Before that, I was bedridden.
Good that you keep yourself busy.
I get positive power from other people here,
and it makes me super healthy.
Oh, that's the best!
Now I'm excited to show you my favourite place in the facility.
- The chair turns around like this. - Yes.
- Close. - And you close it, okay.
Then you push it like this.
Then can you sit down there? Not going to use the water.
Okay then, sit down Ms. Maki.
Put it there, then...
grab this one...
Then, a little bit slide-o.
Ohhh!
- Inside. - Ok.
Like this.
Then close, close the door, hahaha.
Jacuzzi, the water comes up.
- There's a level. - Oh, you adjust it for the height of the customer, okay.
Let's put some water in.
- Let me out? - Wait, wait!
You must push here.
Water comes out.
- This is a Jacuzzi - Yeah, bubbles!
- Like this - Ahhh!
For comparison, this is what a smaller bathing room looks like on the long term residents floor.
Please take a look. We cook food here.
This is a cart that can separate the warm and cold fold.
We have a full time registered dietitian.
The gentleman over there is our registered dietitian.
The portion the elders eat
is about 1500 to 1600 kcal a day
so we are not focusing on portions, it's more about the way the food is served.
Chewing and swallowing are most important.
We mix and soften the food in a mixer
so that it is easy for them to swallow.
The main food becomes rice porridge, or the main food is always rice porridge
and soup
So we prepare differently based on people's needs.
You can see how this is a regular version of the meal.
Whereas this one is for someone who has a hard time chewing or swallowing.
Right now staff is packing up food to send to another one of their nearby facilities.
And yeah, Azalee runs several facilities that span the gamut of care,
from baby to senior, including this one for seniors who are less independent.
Residents are all severely handicapped.
Like paraplegia, quadriplegia, they are all bedridden.
So that's why we have a special medical care unit.
It's like a small hospital.
Something I found quite intriguing was that they had this area
which is designed to mimic a traditional Japanese home.
Many patients have dementia like Alzheimer's, so a room like this can be comforting to some.
Despite this being a senior care centre, there are silver jinzai workers who work here too.
They've come upon this work through special employment centres
that finds work for those over the age of 55.
If you look at the rooms in this facility,
it's more like a unit in a hospital than the dorm-like rooms found in the care house.
While these remind me very much of hospital rooms in Canada,
there are these hints of Japanese style, if you look at the shoji-screen like dividers
or the sliding doors that separate these units from the others.
This room you're looking at right now is a private room, used for short term stays.
It's purpose is for families that are looking after their parents,
but need some temporary help.
How do those living and temporarily staying at these kinds of facilities get in?
So what do you have to do when you need special care? First you come here for a consultation,
then there is an assessment test to figure out your exact needs
then you apply for government support, and when you get it,
a care manager will be sent, and you'll make a plan together,
with the goal of being independent. For example, go to a rehabilitation clinic,
go to a daycare center, or ask for a special assistant helper.
There are so many ways to support your independence.
With Japan's growing senior population in mind,
I asked the chairman, Dr. Kurusu, bout what role he thinks technology will play.
Yeah, that's a main topic right now here in Japan.
Especially nursing homes and these kind of areas,
because we are short of staff, of course.
Pepper.
So that's why Japanese try to develop the robotics
and also the so called IOTs, internet of things.
Hi again, I'm pepper.
Robotics in the nursing home which chat with the seniors,
especially those that suffer from dementia.
How are you? How are your feeling today?
I'm fine.
It's great that you're doing well.
May I call you Mr. Healthy, then?
Yes, you can.
Yeah, thank you so much.
Mr. Healthy, you sound like you're from a foreign country.
Pepper, I'm over here.
Have you ever lived in overseas?
Yes, I have.
Who run's this mother? Who run's this mother?
Who runs the world? Who runs the world?
Mr. Healthy, you look like you still want to chat with me, don't you?
I'm alright.
Oh, well...
I'll have more interesting stories for you.
So please come again.
Sure.
Bye bye!