Nagaya Tower, an intergenerational building to combat unwanted loneliness

Laura Hurtado on 28 February 2024

Community building that connects people of different generations to combat the feeling of loneliness

The Nagaya Tower has six floors and is designed in a V-shape to encourage residents to see each other when entering and leaving their homes. Additionally, the exterior balconies have no partitions. This way, homes are connected. On each floor, there are communal dining rooms and other spaces for interaction, such as areas for recreational activities or elevated gardens. All of this facilitates neighborly communication in daily life, although preserving each person’s personal space is also sought.

In this community estate, the majority of residents are over 70 years old, but there are also other generations. Younger residents receive rent discounts if they get involved in common tasks like changing light bulbs, moving furniture, or taking out the trash. Elderly residents place a magnet on the door of their home when leaving the residence so others are aware. Additionally, people requiring vital support can receive services in the same building. Furthermore, there is a room where adoptive families raise children who cannot live with their guardians.

This initiative aims to alleviate the feeling of unwanted loneliness, a phenomenon especially prevalent among the elderly and with a particular prevalence in significantly aging societies like Japan.

Characteristics of innovation

Personalization of the service, Aging, Cross-cutting intervention, Independent living, Link with the community, New model of intervention, New service, Self-management and participation, User empowerment

Localization

Kagoshima, Japan

Partners / Funders

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism of Japan

Genesis

The Nagaya Tower was created by Dr. Haruhiko Dozono, founder of one of the first palliative care clinics in Japan. There, he realized that most of his patients with mental deterioration suffered from social isolation and psychological loneliness, and they needed human interaction. In 2011, he decided to create a space where people in this situation could build community bonds among themselves. The construction of the building was completed in March 2013.

The building is inspired by old collective housing from the Edo period of Japan, which spanned from 1603 to 1867, where diverse individuals lived together in a shared compartmentalized house. Around a common well, they conversed while carrying out domestic tasks.

Level of implementation

The residents of Nagaya Tower assert that this intergenerational exchange makes them feel more accompanied and less lonely. According to data from the Ministry of Interior in 2023, 10% of Japan’s population is over 80 years old. Additionally, in 2023, the country broke its record of centenarians, with 92,000 individuals. In 2021, a Ministry of Loneliness and Social Isolation was established to address the issue.

More information

Propose your innovation

See our selection of innovations

Banc d’innovacions

Mentegram, therapeutic monitoring of patients in mental health treatment

Mentegram is a tool that allows evaluating and monitoring the daily behavior of individuals in therapeutic treatment.

Pycipedia, collaborative platform for social workers specialized in parenting with intellectual disabilities

Pycipedia is a web platform for social workers specialized in supporting parents with intellectual disabilities.

Mapathon UPC, a web platform that gathers geolocated points on a map

Mapathon UPC is an open web platform that allows for the collection of geolocated points on a map collaboratively.

AutisMIND, an application to stimulate the social cognition of children with ASD

AutisMIND is a mobile application that enhances the ability to empathize with others in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Rural Care, innovation in care for rural dependents

Toni Codina on 4 July 2023

An innovative project that offers social support, health care and opportunities for participation in the community to people with dependency, disability or chronic illness living in rural areas. It aims to enable people to remain at home with security, quality of life and dignity, maintaining their life project and daily routine.

In rural areas, which in recent years have been dominated by an ageing population, families, communities and volunteers play a crucial role in well-being. The Rural Care project stems from the desire to ensure active ageing around the home and is based on the premise that community participation is essential. This initiative is implemented in the province of Valladolid, in a rural context. Thus, this project, which is part of a European initiative for innovation in social services, is designed for people who are in situations of dependency and require constant support and care.

In this sense, the aim is to guarantee the dignity of people, ensuring their autonomy and respecting their preferences and wishes. Rural Care also focuses on the families and carers of the project participants, providing them with support to reconcile care tasks with personal, social and working life, as well as to ensure their own health.

This project stands out for its multi-level partnership of public and private actors, as well as for the coordination of social and health services at different levels. The Support Plan developed for each project participant includes different professionals: a coordinator, a case manager, a reference professional at home and in the community, among others. Among the support actions, it is worth highlighting that the home is also adapted and a personalised community participation programme is designed. In this sense, it is worth highlighting the fact that one of the project’s objectives is to dynamise the rural territory, local occupation, community involvement and social cohesion.