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  • 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!

It's morning time at Azalee, a Japanese social welfare corporation,

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