New Products
Designmart
Universal Design
Japan is among the fastest-graying nations in the world—more than one in five people is 65 years of age or older. In the next 40 years, that statistic will jump to more than one in three. Understandably, the country feels a need to address the cultural and practical challenges of having a large elderly population. Who will take care of them, as women (the traditional caretakers) join the workforce in increasing numbers?
To support the aging population, the government is building nursing homes and day-care facilities, and there has been a boom in home aides. Japanese manufacturers are also rising to the challenge, rolling out products that focus on health and mobility issues by assisting eyes that are getting weaker and legs that are less steady. But these products aren’t just for the elderly. It’s their kansei, their appeal to the head and heart, and their utility to the able-bodied and physically challenged alike that make them stand out. These products—universal design at its finest—provide dignity to all.
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