Salzburg Global Fellow Satoko Fujioka's innovative approach to redefining aging and reinventing elderly care in Japan
According to the United Nations World Social Report of 2023, the number of people aged 65 years or older worldwide is projected to more than double, rising from 761 million to 1.6 billion in 2050. The report concluded that the demand for long-term care is rising due to population aging and changes in the living arrangements of older persons. Rethinking how to provide long-term care will benefit both current and future elderly people and those who care for them.
In Japan, Satoko Fujioka embarked on a unique mission to redefine aging. She describes herself as a designer of community engagement and development in home healthcare. Satoko is the co-founder and designer of "Hotch no Lodge", a one-of-a-kind home care clinic and community hub in Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan.
Established in 2019, this facility stands out for its aim to foster a sense of community while providing medical care, particularly for elderly patients. The clinic not only offers internal medicine, pediatrics, and pain relief treatments, but also creates a non-intimidating environment by eschewing traditional medical uniforms and cultivating a home-like atmosphere.
Satoko’s personal journey is a testament to her determination to challenge the norms of aging, life, and death in Japan. Growing up in a family of healthcare workers, Satoko faced the loss of her parents at a young age. This experience fueled her ambition to make medical care, welfare, and long-term care services more personal and accessible to local residents without professional expertise.
At the age of 24, she founded a private nursing home for older adults, a place that welcomed the local community, including artists, university students, and children. Her current work with Hotch no Lodge is a culmination of these personal and professional experiences, a testament to her unwavering commitment to redefining elderly care.
The mission at Hotch No Lodge is not just about providing medical care but about changing the way we view and treat elderly people. It's about seeing them as individuals with unique skills, wisdom, and contributions, regardless of their age, condition, or illness. The facility organizes workshops for the community, where older adults can share their skills and wisdom that are deeply rooted in the local cultures.
Satoko is of the belief that medical solutions only solve medical problems, but people have needs beyond medical needs. The motto for Hotch No Lodge is “meet as friends doing what you love”, for example, through cooking in their “big welcoming kitchen”, where older adults cook for one another and share their knowledge with younger generations.
Satoko currently runs four homecare clinics, nursing homes, and care facilities, employing 200 workers and caring for over 800 patients. In recognition of her important work and community engagement, she was awarded the Grand Prize in the "Things (Koto)" category of the 2019 LOHAS Grand Prize, and she was the first person from Japan to receive the Innovation of the Year- Social Engagement Program in the 2022 Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Award.
Satoko’s inspiring and innovative approach at Hotch no Lodge redefines elderly care by creating a community-centered environment that goes beyond medical needs. Her work emphasizes the value and contributions of older adults, fostering engagement and support. Satoko's model serves as a compelling blueprint for enhancing elderly care globally, highlighting the importance of compassion and community in aging support systems.
Satoko Fujioka at the in-person meeting of the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network in May 2024 (Photo Credit: Katrin Kerschbaumer)
Satoko Fujioka is the founder and designer of the cozy home care clinic and community hub Hotch no Lodge (Lodge at Hotch), established in 2019 in Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan, which brings people together to "do what they love to do". Seeing Japan as a simulation model for Asia and the rest of the world faced with aging societies, she challenges the value system where the elderly are regarded as "weak" or "helpless".
Satoko is a member of the third cohort of the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network, which connects and empowers outstanding change-makers in two countries on the forefront of technological progress in Asia – India and Japan. The program offers a platform for those working towards social good to maximize the benefits of various forms of new technologies.
