Keio Research Institute at SFC

Objectives

This laboratory conducts research on, and facilitates practice of, support curriculum for reasonable new growth (better living) regardless of age but suited for one’s own age. Targets include all types of people; not only the elderly, but also old- and middle-aged persons with lifestyle diseases, people with motor and/or cognitive impairments due to accidents, etc., and healthy individuals also. This laboratory works together with these people to consider and promote “growth” suited to each of them.

The specific activities of the laboratory include lectures, symposiums, measurement meetings, and collaborative programs with universities, institutions, communities, and companies. The laboratory also creates opportunities to present research and experiment results, etc., to share issues, information, and data.

Overview of Research Activity Plan

• The following 6 themes are being considered to accomplish the laboratory’s objective:
  (1) Ho-iku (education through walking): Review the fundamental elements of health such as posture/balance/body core/walking, and refine these elements at a level that suits oneself.
  (2) Yo-chi (knowledge cultivation): Maintain youth and health by nurturing necessary knowledge and by understanding the current levels of one’s own response/reflex/judgement.
  (3) Sho-gaku (laughter studies): Use various communication tools (robots, games, karaoke, etc.) to experience various applications and call forth (recall) one’s own latent functions to be able to live life youthfully and laugh heartily and merrily.
  (4) Chu-gaku (attentiveness studies): Study evolving social structures and various risk factors, and learn how to improve the activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL) in order to be able to live in peace.
  (5) Ko-ko (consideration of effectiveness): Consider methods for maintaining immunity and physical strength suited to oneself. Consider the effectiveness of meals suited to the condition of one’s body, strengthen immunity, and regain one’s natural biorhythm.
  (6) Dai-gaku (subject studies): Think about “one’s own life” and record the memories of the life the one has lived. Say what you want to convey. Research new things. Things you like. Health-related matters. Anything is fine. Talk about your dreams in order to live your future life, and realize those dreams.
• Curriculum research based on the idea that efforts to support the maintenance and improvement of QOL and ADL are important
• Research on tailor-made support methodology suited towards each individual since the tendency to desire services with a high level of added value corresponding to one’s own needs is anticipated due to the aging of the baby boomer generation who have enjoyed consumer culture in comparison to older generations.
• Research on services that improve the quality of health and living, and services that contribute to extending healthy life expectancies in Japan, home to the world’s most rapidly aging population
• Research centering on the importance of supporting “what can be done”
  – In order to be oneself even when the one needs nursing care, people need to continue doing the same things as what they did before. When getting old, however, things you used to be able to do become increasingly unable to be done. We conduct research that evokes “joy”, “fun”, and “fulfillment” by supporting and covering things that elderly people have become unable to do.
  – Draw out the joy and confidence of elderly people and persons requiring assistance, and research/verify/follow-up on the resulted effects of improving the motivation and fulfillment of people providing support. Examine/create/verify a health maintenance support program.
  – Research that reclaims “confidence”, “will”, and “pride” by maintaining and improving motor and cognitive functions.
• Research that rejuvenates smiling faces through new “nursing care recreation” and “opportunity creation”
• Opportunity creation
  – Lectures: Lectures etc., by university researchers, nursing facilities, administrative bodies, research institutions, and companies
  – Symposiums: Product displays, company presentations, nursing facility presentations, etc.
  – Measurement meetings: Measurements on motor and cognitive functions, and various application experience response evaluations, etc.
  – Research presentation workshops: Research results, test results, latest academic reports, etc.

Researchers, managers and professors