Kobe Active Aging Research Hub (KAARb) Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University

Year: 2010 to 2020
Menmber: Okada S [1], Kondo N [2], Chogahara M [3], Katagiri K [4], Masumoto K [5], Harada K [6], external researchers
Outline: This project aims to create an intergenerational, healthy, and safe community in Tsurukabuto (a suburban area developed in 1960’s to 1970’s). In this project, we think that our university can play a central role to create it. We plan to provide monthly social events (“academic salon”) to people living in this community. The “academic salon” will promote social interactions among the community, develop community leaders, and empower their community activities.

Year: 2015 to 2017
Menmber: Masumoto K [5], Okada S [1], Kondo N [2], Chogahara M [3], Katagiri K [4], Kimura T [7], Furutani M [8], 4 external researchers
Outline: Social networks in the community are essential for solving problems caused by the aging society. This project is aimed to quantitatively measure face-to-face interactions and to visualize social networks among community-dwelling elderly people by using a wearable sensor technology device. Quantified actual communication behaviors would allow identification of core persons having many interactions and of isolated persons having only a few interactions within the community. Such data would be useful for conducting efficient interventions for promoting social networks.

Year: 2015 to 2019
Menmber: Kondo N [2], Okada S [1], Nakamura H [9], Furutani M [8], Inoue M [10], Saito S [11], Kimura T [7], Sato K [12], Harada K [6]
Outline: This project focuses on a support of health behaviors associated with diet, sleep and exercise based on gender and individual difference. In addition, the project will investigate environments that would change behaviors to healthy ones.

Year: 2015 to 2020
Menmber: Kimura T [7], Sato K [12], external researchers
Outline: For improvement and maintenance of physiological systems in older individuals, we will investigate the governing condition of neural control for postural balance and muscle function. The work will be based on our previous basic studies as well as the aspect of applied physiology, exercise physiology, biochemistry, biomechanics and bioengineering.

Year: 2015 to 2017
Menmber: Katagiri K [4], Fukuzawa A, foreign researchers
Outline: The purpose of this project is to examine the daily activity of urban senior citizens, especially extremely old people. This includes understanding what kind of activity do they engage in, how often and what factors are important to enable them to be more active? We will explore how their daily activities contribute to their emotion and health and compare this information across other Asian countries (Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore).

Year: 2015 to 2016
Menmber: Tabata T [13], Katagiri K [4]
Outline: This study aims to analyze environmental and economic impacts of the local governments’ garbage collection and treatment system, taking into account the increase of elderly people in the population and the resulting change in garbage segregation behavior. This study will propose sustainable municipal solid waste treatment measures for local governments for super-aging society through surveys and future prediction of inhabitants' garbage segregation behavior.

Year: 2015 to 2022
Menmber: Chogahara M [3], Okada S [1], Kondo N [2], Katagiri K [4], Masumoto K [5], 3 external reserachers
Outline: The international sport for life event is being hosted in the Kansai area in 2021. We aim to evaluate the legacy created by hosting such an event which targets adults/middle aged and elderly communities. Through action research we will monitor and evaluate the legacy created in promoting healthy activities.

Year: 2015 to 2017
Menmber: Masumoto K [5], 2 external researchers
Outline: Elderly adults have to make many difficult and important decisions (e.g., financial choice, treatment choice). This project is aimed to elucidate biases on decision making in elderly adults and to develop a learning program for adequate decision making without regrets.

Year: 2015 to 2017
Menmber: Chogahara M [3], 3 external researchers
Outline: This research aims to verify the various active aging effects brought about through the hosting of the regional qualifying games and the national Masters Koshien. The aim of these events is to expand high school baseball alumni groups, and present possibilities and sporting activities for life promotion focusing towards an active aged culture with organized support from sports alumni associations.

Year: 2015 to 2019
Menmber: Katagiri K [4], 2 external researchers
Outline: As Japan is the most aged society in the world, we observe varieties among the elderly population. Special attentions have been paid to Dankai sedai (Japanese baby boomers, born in between 1947-1949) because they are much different from previous generations. We examine their life style, attitude, social activities and work, and create a new social role for senior citizens.

Year: 2015 to 2019
Menmber: Katagiri K [4], 1 external researcher, 1 foreign researcher
Outline: It is often pointed out that strong bonds, such as family and community, are attenuating. This phenomenon poses serious social problems and one of which is depriving people’s opportunities of intergenerational interaction. We investigate its state and its effects by comparing Japan and Ireland. We will explore how universities can contribute to promote intergenerational interaction.

Year: 2017 to 2019
Menmber: Hirayama Y [14], 1 external researcher
Outline: In many aging societies, there has been an increase in the number of the owners of multiple residential properties, where additional houses have, in considerable cases, provided them with opportunities to obtain rental incomes. In this study, we focus on the role of multiple property ownership in maintaining the stability of aging societies.

Year: 2017 to 2020
Menmber: Harada K [6], Kondo N [2], internal researchers, external researchers
Outline: This project aims to clarify determinants of initiation and maintenance of active living from an interdisciplinary perspective, and to develop effective strategies to promote active living among older adults.

Year: 2017 to 2020
Menmber: Kondo N [2], Masumoto K [5], Kimura T [7], Sato K [12], Harada K [6], Internal researchers, external researchers
Outline: There is a key point that active life would extend healthy life expectancy and prevent dementia. This project aims to build a database for active life with long span aging by a new method. Also, we try to develop a new index of active life based on the database.