The Kobe City Eldercare Technology Implementation and Promotion Project Designing the Future of Eldercare

Japanese

Interested
in the eldercare
market?

About the Kobe City Eldercare Technology Implementation and Promotion Project

In Kobe City, we support the implementation and promotion of technologies into eldercare facilities in order to reduce caretaker workload, secure and maintain personnel, and advance the establishment of a more work-friendly environment.

The aim of this project is to act as a bridge between outside enterprises and eldercare business owners experiencing difficulty adopting new technologies in the hope the effort can lead to the creation of better working environments for those businesses, and technology development opportunities for outside enterprises.

Through the efforts of this project, we wish to see these goals come to fruition: 1) the increased familiarity and appreciation for eldercare technologies, and creation of tech more in line with the people’s needs, 2) and the construction of an eldercare environment in Kobe that is more brilliant and full of life. As such, we aim to promote various activities to this end.

More specifically, we will hold on-site “workshop trials” of eldercare technologies for eldercare business owners in Kobe, in addition to events presenting skills and knowledge gained through the application of the program.

Kobe City seeks enterprises from around the world to develop eldercare technology in Kobe. This year, we will begin to solicit participants from overseas, in addition to companies whose product sales base is in Japan. Through this project, we will uncover the skills and knowledge necessary to best pair eldercare business owners with eldercare technology firms, and the resulting collection of case studies should be essential knowledge for those with an interest in entering the Japanese market. Please join us in this project!

Eldercare
business owners

What kind of technologies? And, how to I use them? / I’m concerned about the technologies being readily adopted. / I’d like professional, objective advice.
  • Business owners gathering information on eldercare technology
  • Facilities that still haven’t been able to incorporate eldercare technology
  • Businesses wanting to make good use of available subsidies
  • Businesses interested in the cost-effectiveness of this type of technology
  • Facilities which have already introduced such technology in one way or another, but have experienced issues with implementation and adoption

*Limited to businesses within Kobe

Eldercare technology
associated firms

Is our product being well received, and benefiting those using it? / I’d like to hear candid opinions from the staff at eldercare facilities. / I’d like to develop technologies close to the city of Kobe.
  • Firms seeking information about how to implement eldercare technology into eldercare facilities
  • Businesses considering or developing eldercare technologies but experiencing some difficulty
  • Firms with technologies already in the market (or, under consideration) and needing voice-of-the-customer feedback for bettering the product and for marketing purposes

*For companies wishing to participate in the Japanese eldercare market

Kobe City, together with eldercare professionals, acting as a bridge

We were able to visualize the application of eldercare robots and ICT in our facility. / We were able to communicate our specific requirements to the developers. / We were able to see our improvement challenges clearly. / With the insight we gained, we feel we can improve our overall working environment. We were able to candidly exchange opinions with those who used our products on-site. / We were able to see any existing disparities with our products and the needs of the eledercare business owners. / A fountain of ideas came to the fore that will help with our next generation of products. / We have a good feeling we can contribute positively to the community at large.

Specifically, we help eldercare facilities and technologies firms with the below arrangements, for free.

  • Consultations

    We will field any questions or concerns regarding eldercare technology.

  • Eldercare technology trials and information exchange between eldercare business owners and technology vendors

    Sessions will be held for participants to join casually for the exchange of indepth information.

  • Investigation of needs
    and joint development

    A Kobe original project: the joint development of eldercare technology between eldercare owners and technology vendors.

  • Project reporting session
    (web seminar)

    We will hold a web seminar so multiple audiences can make good use of the knowledge gained through this project and its use cases.

Project schedule

Note: there are participating conditions per event.

Consultations

We will field any questions or concerns regarding eldercare technology.

We are offering a consultation service so we can respond to any of your questions or concerns regarding eldercare technology. Professional consultants will listen to your concerns about how to proceed in solving issues present at your care facility. In addition to fielding requests from eldercare business owners, we will also welcome consultation requests from firms in the field of technology development. This service is available either throu gh the website, by phone, or by coming directly to our consultation location
(appointment needed).

Feel free to engage with us in order to find a direction you can pursue in the future.

*All consultations are complimentary.

Opening period:
Open: July 1, 2023 - March 31, 2025
Hours: 9 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday
*With advance notice, Saturday and Sunday service may be accommodated.
Intended for:
  • Eldercare business owners located in Kobe
  • A general audience residing in Kobe
  • Companies developing/selling eldercare technology anywhere in Japan, or throughout the world
How to apply:
Contact us through these methods: web form / phone / fax
As for directly visiting the office, you will need a prior appointment to do so.

Example topic areas:

<In the case of eldercare business owners>
  • There is equipment we would like to put into use, but we don’t know where to start.
  • We are a little hesitant to reach out to equipment manufacturers, but we would like to get some information.
  • We would like to test out equipment prior to purchase.
  • We would like to utilize subsidies.
<In the case of technology development firms>
  • We would like to collect opinions from users by lending out our products.
  • We would like to understand more about government initiatives intended for eldercare technology firms.
  • We would like to now begin the development of eldercare technologies.
Contact us

Eldercare technology trials and information exchange between eldercare business owners and technology vendors

Attendees and the general environment during one of last year’s project session.
For more details, click here.

Sessions will be held for participants to join casually for the exchange of in-depth information.

“I’m busy every day and overwhelmed by my workload...” “... but I don’t know much about eldercare technology.” These free trials are intended for eldercare business owners and laypersons providing home eldercare with concerns such as those above.
The session consists of two parts: the first part is a session of trials organized by theme in order for participants to efficiently experience and collect information; the second is an information exchange session where participants and exhibiting companies can directly speak with one another. It’s a time for participants to listen to the details about products they’re interested in and make lending arrangements for trial purposes.
Please feel free to join in on a session.

Date:
  • Friday, August 25, 2023
  • Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Location:
No Lift Labo (No Lifting Association)
*Kobe City Eledercare Technology Implementation and Promotion Project Operating Office
5th Floor, Kenko Life Plaza, 5 Chome 1-2 Ekiminamidori, Hyogo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo
Intended for:
  • Eldercare business owners located in Kobe
  • A general audience residing in Kobe
  • Companies developing/selling eldercare technology anywhere in Japan, or throughout the world
Number of exhibiting companies:
Approximately 15 companies are scheduled per session date.
*Companies who wish to exhibit, please apply first using the project entrant button below.
(Please understand in advance that due to venue capacity limits, it will be difficult for all companies to join.)

Companies interested in exhibiting or observing, click here

Project entrants(only for technology firms)

After entry is received, we will provide separate guidance about exhibiting and observing.

Investigation of needs and joint development

A Kobe original project: the joint development of eldercare technology between eldercare owners and technology vendors

During this project, we are conducting an analysis of needs regarding eldercare technology equipment at eldercare facilities by visiting eldercare facilities and conducting surveys. We examine the reasons that impede the development and implementation of eldercare technology into eldercare facilities, sum up the results of analysis (and their solutions) as quantitatively and systematically as possible, and share the findings with all participants during the trials and reporting session (FY 2023).
Taking the results of the investigation into account, we will also participate in the joint development of eldercare technology utilizing the city’s support system in a cooperative effort with firms, and those eldercare facilities located within Kobe, in order to seek solutions to challenges within these eldercare facilities (FY 2024).

Methodology:
We gain input primarily from questionnaires and hearings conducted by the operational office, collect information, analyze needs, and decide upon joint development themes and methodologies through discussions with participants.
Intended for:
  • Project entrant firms
  • Eldercare business owners who have participated in past projects as well as in this year’s trials

Additional details will be provided to these parties at a later time.

Project reporting session
(web seminar)

We will hold a web seminar so multiple audiences can make good use of the knowledge gained through this project and its use cases.

The project reporting session is a web seminar where results of the conducted workshop/implementation efforts will be presented. This is a valuable opportunity for participants to gain awareness from specific use cases as well as know-how regarding the implementation of technologies such as eldercare robots, ICT, etc. Anyone with an interest in eldercare technology can participate.
*Participation comes at no cost.

Intended for:
Those interested in this project (Anyone may participate.)
Anticipated period for this session:
February of 2024 (Details will be posted in late December, 2023.)

What is eldercare technology?

For the scope of this project, our definition of eldercare technology is as it appears in the variety of equipment shown below.
This list comprises the equipment intended to be put into test facilities, so if you have an interest, please contact us.

Image of eldercare technology.

Overview of Kobe

In Kobe city, we support the implementation and promotion of technologies into eldercare facilities in order to reduce caretaker workload, secure and maintain personnel, and advance the establishment of a more work-friendly environment.

Population : 1,530,000
Kobe’s population makes it Japan’s seventh largest city.

Sum of exported products : ￥3,439,800,000,000This amount (for 2019) is equivalent to approximately $31,231,302,921

Enterprises receiving insurance for eldercare: 4,853
This figure excludes hospitals, and is current as of July, 2021.

NO LIFT LABO About nursing care technology exhibition and experience space.
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