1st cycle – INNOVCARE Webinar n°4
Where we age and how we are cared: ageing in place and being cared in institutions that use technology
(Presentations of PhD candidates’ research in France and Japan)
Wednesday 15 June 2022, 9 am to 11 am (France) / 4 pm to 6 pm (Japan) – Online
- Camille Picard (Lab’Urba / Leroy Merlin Source) – Public policies for an ageing population: the Japanese way to “remaining in the neighborhood” and the French approach to “remaining at home”
- Yuko Tamaki-Welply (EHESS/CNRS) – Robots for Care Work in France and Japan, from a Sociological Perspective
Public policies for an ageing population: the Japanese way to “remaining in the neighborhood” and the French approach to “remaining at home” – Camille Picard (Lab’Urba / Leroy Merlin Source)
Ageing in place has been the priority for the population and the governments of both Japan and France. While the French policies mention the concept of “remaining at home”, the Japanese ones focus on “staying in the neighborhood you’re used to living in”. Comparing the two countries appears relevant but raises many questions, notably on a methodological stand point. While ageing in place seems a universal concept, the way its implemented can vary drastically. Hence, we asked ourselves to what extent can studying a foreign country help us understand our own? How are the public policies structured in both countries? Do the differences in the conception of aging in place influence public policies and to what extent?
Robots for Care Work in France and Japan, from a Sociological Perspective – Yuko Tamaki-Welply (EHESS/CNRS)
In the context of the shortage of human resources to care for the elderly due to the ageing of the population and the declining birth rate, efforts are currently underway, especially in developed countries such as Japan and France, to use equipment and robots in the field of elderly care. Besides, the Japanese Government has set forth new values in the medical and elderly care field in its 2015 science and technology policy called Society 5.0, such as robots chatting with the elderly or robots reducing the burden on caregivers. Indeed, these examples might play a role in compensating for the shortage of caregivers. Still, can a standardised robot address each person’s individual needs in different situations? If so, how can we explain it? To answer this question, I will first show theoretical arguments in my first year of doctoral research in this presentation. From a sociological perspective, I will discuss the concept of user representation in technology and the concept of care (especially care needs and care relationships). Next, I will describe the fieldwork that has already begun and is still ongoing. Finally, I will present some details and difficulties in my fieldwork. I will also try to reflect on how my research can contribute to thinking about what care-led innovation might look like.
