Karino AyakoIn 2025, the baby boom generation will become elderly and Japan will be facing an aging society more dire than before. It is estimated that Japan will lack roughly 380,000 people to care for the elderly. With the declining population, it will no longer be possible to fill that gap with foreign employees or part-timers.
Plus Robo, a startup company that initially provided nursing robots, has created Sketter. It is a skill-share service that matches nursing homes that require help with those who are willing to provide it.
However, what’s unique about the service is that it’s not matching professional nursing jobs that require qualification for elderly care. Instead, it offers jobs in its surrounding areas, such as recreation, cooking, serving and cleaning up. There are also roles for personnel for communicating with the elderly, teaching various activities and creating documents.
“Many nearby nursing homes need a hand with these recreation activities,” shared Ryohei Suzuki, CEO of Plus Robo. “It’s often the case that qualified nurses are stuck with these responsibilities, especially those of recreation, which many find a burden.”
According to Suzuki, many nurses who quit their jobs because they find it stressful to handle these recreation responsibilities. “If this part of the job could be handled by people who have talent in putting recreation ideas together, it will ease the burden of nurses, as well as heighten the quality of recreations.”
Since its launch in February this year, 300 people have registered at Sketter. Their professions are diverse, ranging from magicians, designers, beauticians, stand-up comedians, instructors, former nurses, students and those who are in search for jobs. Among these people, over 70% have registered for experience, studying or contribution, which is why a lot of them don’t hesitate to participate in voluntary jobs too.
The service has introduced more than 400 hundred jobs so far, among which over 100 have made a match. It enables people who had interest in the industry but hadn’t had the courage, to take the first step. It also opens doors to people who lack the qualifications for nursing, but have interest in working in the industry, people who have the qualifications but for whatever reason cannot work full time, and students who are interested in working at nursing homes.
According to Suzuki, people from the outside nursing homes with various talents join their facilities, is creating a good effect on the nursing homes too. Both elderly people and facility staff are more than happy to communicate with the younger generation whom they don’t usually meet.
Sketter provides a role model for a sharing economy, where skill and talent sharing is where it’s needed. thus pople from various fields can cooperate to pull the aging society together and create a blissful society.
