#Japan #Tokyo #Care Manager #Seven-Eleven #Elderly Shopping

S.M.S and Seven-Eleven Japan Team Up to Tackle Elderly Shopping Challenges

S.M.S Co., Ltd., headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, is pioneering a vital survey service utilizing the member database of Seven-Eleven Japan. This initiative focuses on understanding the shopping difficulties faced by elderly individuals, targeting members of the care manager community, Care Manager Dot Com, and the support group for those challenged by caregiving, Anshin Kaigo.

Recently, S.M.S provided a survey service for the home delivery service, "7NOW," offered by Seven-Eleven Japan, addressing the pressing theme of "Elderly Shopping Challenges." The research was conducted with 376 members of Care Manager Dot Com and 341 members of Anshin Kaigo, gathering vital insights into the shopping struggles older adults encounter.

Background Context

With Japan's aging population on the rise, the number of elderly households continues to grow at an alarming rate. According to statistics from the year 2000, the number of elderly couple households was approximately 3.66 million, which has surged to around 6.53 million over two decades, representing a 1.7-fold increase. Similarly, the solitary elderly households have increased from about 3.03 million to approximately 6.71 million, a staggering 2.2 times growth. This rapid increase in elderly households has led to diverse needs and concerns, not only for those requiring care but also for their supportive family members.

Challenges unique to the elderly – such as the necessity for specialized services in areas like caregiving support, modifications to living spaces, and urgent decision-making for funeral services – showcase the deficiencies in both the quantity and quality of available information regarding their situations. There is a pressing need for well-organized and accessible data to aid in navigating these issues.

Research Initiatives by S.M.S

Since 2006, S.M.S has been at the forefront of assisting care managers through the community-oriented platform, Care Manager Dot Com, fostering a supportive environment where professionals can share challenges, exchange ideas, and access resources including care planning templates, news updates, and seminar information.

Recognizing the complexities faced by caregivers, S.M.S launched Anshin Kaigo in June 2009, a community platform designed for individuals grappling with caregiving dilemmas. This platform allows members to pose questions directly to experts, facilitating discussions among caregivers, and providing valuable articles to alleviate stress and anxieties related to caregiving.

S.M.S actively conducts surveys targeting both care managers and families of the elderly to compile opinions on brand recognition, purchasing pathways, and support needs. The involvement of actual care managers in survey question design lends authenticity to the responses, delving deep into the real challenges faced by caregivers.

Survey Collaboration with Seven-Eleven Japan

This survey was conducted following the interest from Seven-Eleven Japan, utilizing S.M.S's access to both Care Manager Dot Com and Anshin Kaigo members. The 7NOW delivery service by Seven-Eleven Japan aims to deliver products to consumers within a swift 20 minutes. This service has gained traction not only due to convenience during inclement weather or busy times but also because it handles bulk purchases efficiently, resulting in a growing demand for prompt deliveries – a trend expected to reach nationwide availability by February 2025.

Seven-Eleven Japan is committed to addressing regional challenges such as aging and population decline, making the expansion of services like 7NOW integral to their business strategy.

The purpose of this survey was to discern the shopping challenges that the elderly face, evaluate the effectiveness of home delivery services for elderly households, and identify the efficiency needs within the often-obscured duties of care managers. An astounding 90% of care managers reported dealing with clients who have shopping-related difficulties. Furthermore, around half admitted to undertaking shopping tasks beyond their scope, requested by clients and their families.

The survey revealed that over 80% of family caregivers managing elderly individuals at home experienced some form of burden when it came to shopping. The most significant challenge cited was the inability to shop due to personal health issues, underscoring the impact that a caregiver's physical condition can have on obtaining essential supplies for their dependents.

These hiring insights highlight that shopping challenges within elderly households significantly contribute to increased professional workloads and emotional strain on family caregivers. Services like 7NOW have the potential to alleviate these burdens by addressing daily shopping needs that are not fully covered by care insurance services, benefiting both care managers and family caregivers alike.

Conclusion

About the Survey

Theme: Elderly Shopping Challenges
Method: Internet Survey
Period: April 8 to April 14, 2025
Participants: 376 Care Manager Dot Com members (346 active care managers), 341 Anshin Kaigo members.
Results Reference for Care Managers: Care Manager Dot Com Results
Results Reference for Caregiving Families: Anshin Kaigo Results

Insights from S.M.S and Seven-Eleven Representatives

Ogura, a representative from the research team, stated, "This study brings to light the burdens faced by care managers who often find themselves providing support beyond their professional responsibilities, alongside family caregivers who struggle with shopping challenges."

Conversely, a spokesperson from Seven-Eleven Japan emphasized, "Our collaboration with S.M.S serves as a remarkable opportunity to advance our mission to enhance the convenience and quality of life for our customers. We believe that our food and daily goods delivery service can significantly alleviate the inconveniences faced by elderly individuals, particularly when combined with S.M.S's invaluable insights into caregiving challenges."

This collaboration between S.M.S and Seven-Eleven not only aims to solve pressing societal issues but also strengthens the bridge between proficient service provision and the real-world duties of caregivers prevalent within our communities.