#Japan #Tokyo #AgeWellJapan #SeniorCare #Azpartners

Enhancing Senior Quality of Life Through Innovative Collaboration

In an inspiring move to improve the quality of life for seniors, Azpartners, led by CEO Kenji Uemura, and AgeWellJapan, helmed by President Madoka Akagi, are embarking on a business collaboration titled "Motto Mate for Azpartners." This initiative aims to foster both the motivation and independence of the elderly. Following a successful pilot project conducted between February and March 2025 at "Azheim Jingu no Mori," the partners plan to gradually roll out this collaboration across seven homes operated by Azpartners.

Addressing Societal Challenges

The need for this initiative stems from concerning trends in Japan's elderly population. A 2018 survey by AXA Life showed that a staggering 78.8% of respondents expressed they do not wish to live to 100, while 78.6% regarded longevity as a risk. Such statistics highlight the urgent societal challenges related to declining motivation among seniors and their negative perceptions of aging. With the shared vision of creating a society that embraces positivity in aging, Azpartners and AgeWellJapan aim to enhance the lives of seniors.

Co-Creating an Age-Well Lifestyle

Azpartners utilizes cutting-edge IoT and AI technologies within a scientific caregiving framework to ensure stable and high-quality care across its facilities. Their efforts to support the maintenance and improvement of physical health have already shown positive results, bringing peace of mind and a forward-looking lifestyle to residents. The partnership will integrate AgeWellJapan's "Motto Mate" perspective, focusing on motivation and engagement for seniors. The role of the "Age-Well Designer" will be central to this approach, facilitating dialogues that draw out seniors' desires to try new activities.

By layering AgeWellJapan's non-caregiving methods on top of Azpartners' established caregiving expertise, the collaboration aims to significantly enhance the motivational aspects of senior residents' lives. The complementary strengths of both companies are expected to generate new value and foster richer interactions for the elderly.

Pilot Project Outcomes: A Shift in Motivation

During the pilot experiment, Age-Well Designers engaged with residents through regular conversations, uncovering their hidden aspirations such as wanting to play the piano or explore local dining options. By incorporating these small challenges into their daily lives, residents began to exhibit positive changes in both expression and behavior. Staff reported an increased presence of residents in common areas, while families expressed that their loved ones were exhibiting greater motivation to engage in activities on their own. The role of the Age-Well Designer has introduced a vital aspect of emotional support that caregiving staff typically cannot fulfill, bringing new stimuli and insights to the caregiving environment.

Future Steps in Their Collaboration

In conjunction with this initiative, President Akagi held a seminar at Azheim Shinagawa to further discuss the details and plans for the expansive rollout of the collaboration. Both companies are committed to their mission of improving the quality of life for seniors, transcending traditional caregiving boundaries through innovative and meaningful support systems.

Company Background

• - Azpartners: Celebrating 20 years as a proposal-oriented living company that bridges generations, Azpartners focuses primarily on its "Azheim" series of assisted living facilities. They are recognized for pioneering IoT integration in caregiving with their "EGAO link®" and developing proprietary AI care planning solutions. Uemura also serves as the Vice President of the National Association of Care Homes. Visit Azpartners

• - AgeWellJapan: With a vision of becoming a companion for a fulfilling old age, AgeWellJapan operates multiple initiatives centered on supporting seniors' sense of purpose. Their projects include "Motto Mate," intergenerational communities like "Mottuba!" and the research hub "Age-Well Design Lab." The company has received accolades from Nikkei Cross Trend and Forbes Japan as a next-generation impact startup. Visit AgeWellJapan