Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JAN 2020年1月 亞博匯 89 日本 They immediately knew they “wanted to bring this American concept of enjoying life in old age back to Japan.” EFFECTS OF GAMING In the facility IAG visited, a mock, in-house currency exclusive to the facility is used for gaming. Individuals can earn this when they take part in exercise known as “Physical Function Training”, then use the currency during recreation time. Gaming is considered beneficial for activating the brain and preventing dementia. Instead of arithmetic drills, they use math for playing blackjack, baccarat and mahjong. There are daily and annual ranking systems for the in-house currency, creating a system where players can set goals and experience continuity. “We get approximately 1,220 patrons per month [at all 23 facilities combined] and 6,000 total visits among them,” explains Seki. “The average age is 83-years old and 72% are male.” “Many of our male customers are not skilled at communication,” adds Mori. “Also, because of the age gap between those providing the care and those being cared for, it’s hard to find common topics. However, when there is a common topic, for example gaming rules, it becomes easier to communicate.” LIVING IT UP IAG spoke with an elderly man enjoying a game of mahjong who is at this facility four times per week. “The place I was going to before operated based on what the facility wanted to do. But here, they focus on us, which is really different from other places. It’s not lonely here. I’m very satisfied since I started coming here.” Seki says the organization has attracted plenty of interest both locally and overseas, although he insists “we are not considering expansion internationally. We operate using Japan’s taxes, so we want to reinvest into Japan’s nursing care industry. It’s better for customers to have many choices. We just want to be one of those options.” While the rest of the day service industry continues along a well-trodden route, Nihon Senior Life is plotting its own course, bringing something new to Japan. Undoubtedly this service will grow as one of the options allowing Japan’s aging population to enjoy life to the fullest. 常龐大，並且是一個知名的高端社區，專為55歲或以上的人士而 設。在那裏的長者都可以享受高爾夫球和跑步，亦有人玩撲克及 麻雀。但當中最突出的，就是那一張張開心的面容。 他們也有到訪拉斯維加斯這個出名有很多老年人的地方， 留意到很多年老的客人在日間都會到娛樂場玩耍，互相擊掌打招 呼，表現出興奮的神情，即使他們的注碼非常小。森薰他們立即就 知道，他們「想把這個在老年時享受生活的美國理念帶回日本」。 博彩之效 在《亞博匯》到訪的那間設施內，一種只能在該設施內使用的 虛擬貨幣會被用在博彩上。每個人都可以通過參與被稱為「體能 訓練」的練習來賺到這些貨幣，然後就在消遣時使用。 博彩被認為能為夠激活腦部，以及預防失智症。這裏的客人 都把數學用於玩廿一點、百家樂及麻雀之上，而不是用來做算術 題。而且設施還有每日及年度的排名榜，以設施的貨幣來計算，讓 玩家可以通過這個系統來設定目標，並且得到持續的體驗。 「我們[23個設施加起來]每個月約有1220位客人，他們的造 訪次數高達6000次。」關俊和解釋道，「客人的平均年齡為83歲，有 72%是男性。」 森薰補充：「很多我們的男性客戶都不太有溝通技巧。」 「另外，由於照顧者與被照顧者之間的年齡差異，很難在他 們中間有共同話題。可是，一旦有諸如博彩規則的共同話題，溝 通上就變得更容易。 活得豐尚 《亞博匯》與一位正在打麻雀的男長者傾談過，他每週都會 到訪這個設施四次。 「我以前去的那個地方的經營方式，都是依照著該設施自 己想做的事而設的。但在這裏，他們把焦點放在我們身上，這與 其他地方真的很不一樣。在這裏不會感到孤單。我自從來了以後 都很滿足。」 關俊和表示，在當地及國外都有不少人對其機構感到興趣， 雖然他堅持說：「我們目前並未考慮要進軍國際。我們以日本的 稅收經營，因此我們想重新投資到日本的照護業界之中。為客人 而言，擁有大量選擇會是更好的。而我們只想成為這些選項裏的 其中一個。」 當日間照護業的其餘成員依舊在老路上行走時，日本老人 生活公司就正在為自己鋪設新途，把新事物帶到日本。毫無疑 問，這服務將會發展成一項讓日本老齡人口充分享受生活的選 擇 。