Demonstration experiment to investigate the effectiveness of "electric wheelchair" for elderly people going out November 1, 15:01
A national demonstration experiment has begun to investigate the effectiveness of electric wheelchairs as a means of transportation so that elderly people who have fewer opportunities to go out due to the return of their driver's license and the new coronavirus can use them.
Electric wheelchairs can be moved by operating the lever while sitting, and the speed is about that of a person walking, and it is used by people with disabilities and people in need of long-term care.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has begun a demonstration experiment to investigate whether electric wheelchairs are effective as a means of transportation for the elderly, as the return of driver's licenses for the elderly is increasing and the movement to refrain from using public transportation is increasing due to the influence of the new coronavirus. It was.
The experiment was conducted at five locations nationwide, and of these, in the housing complex in Sakae-ku, Yokohama, electric wheelchairs will be rented to 10 elderly people aged 65 and over for three weeks.
Wheelchairs are equipped with GPS, which records and analyzes the actual usage such as the distance traveled, and also conducts interview surveys on riding comfort.
People who used electric wheelchairs immediately moved around the housing complex or went shopping in the neighborhood, and said that they were "comfortable to ride" and "feeling brighter."
Issues such as improving safety and securing storage space have been pointed out for electric wheelchairs, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has confirmed the effectiveness and safety through experiments, and then promoted efforts to popularize them for the elderly. I would like to increase the opportunities for going out.
In the background are "returning license" and "refraining from going out"
The reason why electric wheelchairs are expected to be one of the means of transportation for the elderly is the return of driver's licenses and the refraining from going out due to the influence of the new coronavirus.
According to the National Police Agency's driver's license statistics, the number of people aged 65 and over who returned their licenses was about 208,000 in 2014, but last year it was about 601,000, nearly tripled in five years. Is increasing rapidly.
When the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association surveyed multiple answers regarding the means of transportation after return,
59% were trains,
74% were buses,
65% were taxis,
66% were on foot, and
47% were bicycles, but
electric wheelchairs were 3 %was.
In rural areas, the convenience of public transportation is often low, and people who are not confident in their physical strength have limitations in walking or cycling, but the reality is that electric wheelchairs are not selected even though they are relatively light. is.
It has not become widespread due to issues in terms of environmental improvement such as dealing with steps on the road, safety such as driving on narrow roads, and securing a storage place on the go.
On the other hand, due to the influence of the new coronavirus, elderly people continue to refrain from going out.
According to a private survey on the frequency of going out of the elderly, 12% of the elderly who usually find it difficult to walk less than once a week a year ago, but after the spread of the infection In August, it increased to 32% of the total.
On the other hand, the percentage of respondents who said they would go out almost every day was 31% of the total a year ago, but it has decreased to 16% in August.
Some have said that they are refraining from using trains, buses, taxis, etc. to prevent infection, and it has been pointed out that expectations are rising for electric wheelchairs that allow one person to go out and have a wide range of activities.
Those who participated in the experiment
Elderly people who participated in the experiment expressed their expectations for electric wheelchairs, such as being able to move easily and having more opportunities to go out and talk with people.
Hiroaki Yamada of Sakae-ku, Yokohama lives with his wife, Rikuko (89).
Mr. Yamada voluntarily returned his driver's license nine years ago and used to use buses when going out to the suburbs, but recently he has refrained from using public transportation due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, and as much as possible from home. I try not to come out.
On this day, Mr. Yamada experienced an electric wheelchair for the first time and headed to a convenience store 300 meters away from his home while checking the ride comfort.
And I enjoyed talking with my neighbors while shopping.
Mr. Yamada said, "It was comfortable to ride. It was fun to move as I wanted, and I remembered the first time I got in the car. I was able to meet and talk with people for the first time in a long time, so mentally It was very good. I think I will have more opportunities to go out. "