Needed: English Speaking Day Service & Senior Activity Social Centers
Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2024 12:49 am
Do you know anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit who wants to Immigrate to Japan under the terms of the Business Management Visa program but is still looking a viable business plan? If so, please pass along this idea for them to consider as some of us retirees may benefit from it in the future.
THE IDEA:
The plan is to establish one or more English Speaking Adult Day Services and Senior Activity Social Centers based on the existing Japanese model. The Japanese “for fee” model consists of drivers who pick up and return the elderly from/to their homes to a center where they are bathed, fed, nursed (as needed) and engage in social activities and exercise with other members one or more days per week. For the purposes of this suggestion, I denote the elderly who may benefit from this day service as age 80 and up.
With many aging English-speaking expatriates in Japan, there is an unmet need for them to stay socially engaged once their mobility, mind and Japanese language skills begin to be reduced.
The business owner would be able to charge a premium for this service as most existing Expats are economically well-off at retirement and may appreciate a clubby and familiar “western” setting and food. Critically, often as we age, languages acquired as adults begins to wane and only our mother tongue remains, so having an English-speaking cultural oasis with our peers in our twilight years would contribute to a higher quality of life. If the expat’s Japanese spouse pre-deceases him, his situation is often worse yet, with isolation expected to increase quickly.
WHY THIS SHOULD WORK:
According to the United States Social Security Administration (SSA), in 2023 there were over 101,000 persons receiving monthly retirement benefits in Japan (the second most recipients in a foreign country after Canada). Concentrations of these beneficiaries are in the Yokohama, Hiroshima and Okinawa areas and suggests that many of these beneficiaries are also receiving full United States Military pensions because of the US Military Bases also located in these areas. For background: Those with full military retirement plans get ‘on-base’ privileges that can include free air travel, shopping at food, liquor and general goods stores, chaplain services, club and recreation facility privileges.
Alone, US Social Security benefits and Military Pensions combined handedly exceed the retirement income of most local Japanese and are sources of guaranteed income until the recipient expires.
RUNNING THE NUMBERS:
Per the SSA, of the +101,000 beneficiaries in Japan about 56% are the primary beneficiaries (assumed mostly male and native English speakers).
So, with about 56,000 male beneficiaries equally divided by each of three retirement phases, there could be as many as 18,600 English speaking males in any one of these three categories. Further, equally divided geographically (Yokohama, Hiroshima, Okinawa) that puts the estimation at around 6,200 men over the age of 80 per region who might find this English-Speaking Day Service and Senior Activity Social Center program useful.
For background purposes: Often retirement is seen in three phases including the “Go-Go” years (Retirement to age 72); the “Slow-Go” years (age 72 to the early 80’s); and the “No-Go” (years for the balance of time).
The entrepreneur might also establish a closely associated clubby English Speaking Senior Activity Social Center program for an added source of revenue as well as a feeder to attract the younger group that would eventually move on to the Day Service for the elder as they age into it.
I will also point out the obvious that in addition to the US Expats identified above from the SSA statistics, there are also many other English-speaking males in Japan from across the globe who would also be potential and appreciative clients of an English-Speaking Day Service and a Senior Activity Social Center near where they live.
ENGLISH SPEAKING EMPLOYEES:
In addition to any local hires, the business operator can take advantage of hiring English speaking employees (e.g. from the Philippines) under the Japanese Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) program. Overall, the job areas that need staffing include Administration, Drivers, Janitorial and Kitchen staff, Activity facilitators, and Healthcare/Nursing/Bathing Aids.
I hope that someone finds this niche business lead useful. Best of Luck!
THE IDEA:
The plan is to establish one or more English Speaking Adult Day Services and Senior Activity Social Centers based on the existing Japanese model. The Japanese “for fee” model consists of drivers who pick up and return the elderly from/to their homes to a center where they are bathed, fed, nursed (as needed) and engage in social activities and exercise with other members one or more days per week. For the purposes of this suggestion, I denote the elderly who may benefit from this day service as age 80 and up.
With many aging English-speaking expatriates in Japan, there is an unmet need for them to stay socially engaged once their mobility, mind and Japanese language skills begin to be reduced.
The business owner would be able to charge a premium for this service as most existing Expats are economically well-off at retirement and may appreciate a clubby and familiar “western” setting and food. Critically, often as we age, languages acquired as adults begins to wane and only our mother tongue remains, so having an English-speaking cultural oasis with our peers in our twilight years would contribute to a higher quality of life. If the expat’s Japanese spouse pre-deceases him, his situation is often worse yet, with isolation expected to increase quickly.
WHY THIS SHOULD WORK:
According to the United States Social Security Administration (SSA), in 2023 there were over 101,000 persons receiving monthly retirement benefits in Japan (the second most recipients in a foreign country after Canada). Concentrations of these beneficiaries are in the Yokohama, Hiroshima and Okinawa areas and suggests that many of these beneficiaries are also receiving full United States Military pensions because of the US Military Bases also located in these areas. For background: Those with full military retirement plans get ‘on-base’ privileges that can include free air travel, shopping at food, liquor and general goods stores, chaplain services, club and recreation facility privileges.
Alone, US Social Security benefits and Military Pensions combined handedly exceed the retirement income of most local Japanese and are sources of guaranteed income until the recipient expires.
RUNNING THE NUMBERS:
Per the SSA, of the +101,000 beneficiaries in Japan about 56% are the primary beneficiaries (assumed mostly male and native English speakers).
So, with about 56,000 male beneficiaries equally divided by each of three retirement phases, there could be as many as 18,600 English speaking males in any one of these three categories. Further, equally divided geographically (Yokohama, Hiroshima, Okinawa) that puts the estimation at around 6,200 men over the age of 80 per region who might find this English-Speaking Day Service and Senior Activity Social Center program useful.
For background purposes: Often retirement is seen in three phases including the “Go-Go” years (Retirement to age 72); the “Slow-Go” years (age 72 to the early 80’s); and the “No-Go” (years for the balance of time).
The entrepreneur might also establish a closely associated clubby English Speaking Senior Activity Social Center program for an added source of revenue as well as a feeder to attract the younger group that would eventually move on to the Day Service for the elder as they age into it.
I will also point out the obvious that in addition to the US Expats identified above from the SSA statistics, there are also many other English-speaking males in Japan from across the globe who would also be potential and appreciative clients of an English-Speaking Day Service and a Senior Activity Social Center near where they live.
ENGLISH SPEAKING EMPLOYEES:
In addition to any local hires, the business operator can take advantage of hiring English speaking employees (e.g. from the Philippines) under the Japanese Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) program. Overall, the job areas that need staffing include Administration, Drivers, Janitorial and Kitchen staff, Activity facilitators, and Healthcare/Nursing/Bathing Aids.
I hope that someone finds this niche business lead useful. Best of Luck!