The NEC C&C Foundation Symposium entitled “Practical Use of ICT in Regional Communities for the Peace of Mind and Safety of the Senior Citizens” was held with the support of IISE at the IZUMI GARDEN Conference Center. The symposium started with a keynote speech by Special Professor Hiroko Akiyama from the Institute of Gerontology, the University of Tokyo entitled “Aging in Place: Living an Independent Life in a familiar environment – From the Perspective of Gerontology”. The participants discussed various approaches which used the ICT to enable senior citizens to live in their familiar environment as long as they could with peace of mind and safety. The symposium was attended by about 90 participants, and consideration for accessibility to information was apparent this year again with condensed transcription and the presence of a sign language interpreter.

The information materials distributed at the seminar are posted on the website of NEC C&C Foundation.

Speakers and program
13:35 Keynote speech entitled “Aging in Place: Living an Independent Life in the Familiar Environment – From the Perspective of Gerontology” by Hiroko Akiyama, special professor, Institute of Gerontology, The University of Tokyo

14:15 Special lecture entitled “Local Dementia Prevention Programs to Assist Independent Living in Regional Communities – Purpose-Oriented Activities Using Personal Computers” by Naomi Yatomi, visiting fellow, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology

Sampling of community efforts:
14:45 Case 1 “A CATV-Based Shopping Assistance System for Senior Citizens”
Presenter: Akio Iwasaki, Manager, Municipal Development Office, Planning Section, Nichinan Township, Tottori Prefecture

15:30 Case 2 “Support for Peace of Mind and Safety of Senior Citizens through TV Phone”
Presenter: Kai Sakahira, Manager, Information Policy Section, Okuizumo Township, Shimane Prefecture

16:00 Panel discussion: Practical Use of ICT in Regional Communities for Peace of Mind and Safety of the Senior Citizens”

Moderator:
Hajime Yamada, Professor, Faculty of Economics, Toyo University

Panelists:
Hiroko Akiyama, Special professor, Institute of Gerontology, the University of Tokyo
Naomi Yatomi, Visiting fellow, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
Akio Iwasaki, Manager, Municipal Development Office, Planning Section, Nichinan Township, Tottori Prefecture
Kai Sakahira, Manager, Information Policy Section, Okuizumo Township, Shimane Prefecture
Chika Sekine, President, UDIT (Universal Design Institute for Information Technology)

17:05 Closing speech by Hiroshi Gokan, Executive Director of the NEC C&C Foundation