WAC (Wonderful Aging Club, Inc.)
- Name
- WAC (Wonderful Aging Club, Inc.) (Long life society and culture association)
- President
- Tad Masuda
- Address
- Nihonjoshikaikan 1F, 2-6-8 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan.
- MAP
- Phone
- 03-5405-1501
- Fax
- 03-5405-1502
- iken@wac.or.jp
- Home Page
- http://www.wac.or.jp
- Established
- April 22, 1988
- Members
- 1,517 as of March 31, 2017
- History
- WAC is a public-interest corporation authorized by the Japanese government offices. WAC is one of the first organizations that has addressed the issue of senior citizens in Japan.
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1986
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Established as a voluntary organization
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1988
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Authorized as a corporation by the Economic Planning Agency, Government of Japan
Begins providing home help services of the type in which the residents participate, e.g. “Magokoro (sincere) Service”
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1992
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Works with Sawayaka Welfare Promotion Center, founded by Tsutomu Hotta
Works with Nippon Active Life Club (NALC), founded by Takahata Keiichi
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1993
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Developed elderly people simulated program “Urashima Taro”
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1995
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Authorized as a corporation by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Government of Japan
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2010
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Authorized as a public-interest corporation by the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan
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- Purposes
- WAC believes that the 21st century organizations aiming at supporting senior citizens must break through the outdated and stereotyped ideas of “the problems of senior citizens,” and promotes the sound development of a peaceful and lively society. It also encourages active participation of middle-aged as well as senior citizens to innovate our society.
- WAC activities focused on the following:
- Encouraging individual middle-aged and senior citizens and the related organizations to establish more effective network system.
- Encouraging the individuals to continue grow and develop their abilities throughout their lives.
- Investigating, studying and educating the public regarding social and cultural activities for senior citizens.
- Specific efforts taken as in the following:
- The pursuit of lifelong learning.
- The encouragement of community activities.
- The promotion of mutual assistance activities among individual senior citizens and their groups.
- Activities and programs offered currently:
- Elderly people simulated program “Urashima Taro – Japanese version of Rip Van Winkle – Project ” developed by WAC provides people to experience and understand the conditions of elderlies of 80 years old, e.g. when developed a cataract, how does it affect their daily life?, and so on.
- Since 2002, running preventive long-term care project of Shinagawa Ward, cooking classes and un-stake mahjong game circles for senior citizens. The total number of over 8000 seniors have participated in the games.
- In 2003, established Welfare Service Third Party Evaluation ( aiming to realize user-oriented social service management of the facilities for elderlies).
- Since March 2009, running a program supported by Tokyo Metropolitan Government, “Minato *Shigoto 55,” a free employment placement service of Minato Ward intended for senior citizens over 55 years of age.
- Since April 2009, running a senior citizen facility “Chiba Social Service, Fureai (meeting) Plaza” supported by Chiba Prefecture.
- Holding lectures to support seniors how to open and run a community café (where community people can enjoy talking to other people or dine casually) in major cities.
- Holding home-care helpers/care-workers training and sputum sucking training programs, etc.
- Providing a demented elderly person simulated experience system to promote, through the experience, the understandings of various symptoms and problems that demented persons suffer from in their daily lives.