For the Elderly

Tomorrow is Grandparents' Day in the States. Japan has its Day of Appreciation for the Elderly on the 18th of this month. Not all grandparents are elderly. Here are some things that would make life easier for those who are.




These are shopping carts that have seats. The wheels lock so Baba (Granny) won't roll down the street as she sits down. Most people ride bikes or drive cars and carry groceries home that way. Some of us walk everywhere we go. Older people use these carts. I use a cart when I shop. A neighbor laughed and called me "Granny" when I first used my cart. It doesn't look like these, though. These carts are for people much older than I am. I have seen really, really old people do their own shopping with these.




You've probably seen these. One is a shower stool and one is a shower chair. There is also a toilet in this picture. There are other toilets in the picture below. Most of these would have to be emptied. The one on the left fits over a regular toilet.



P.S. You may want to look at the post for July 4th, 2006. Tokyo Gas visited Little Brother's school. They held a workshop to show the students what it's like to be old. Do a search of my blog and look up "School Days: Visit from Tokyo Gas".

Wagon

These children were going to use this wagon to transport chairs that were used for the elderly guests at the Sports Day. I have seen this kind of wagon in other places, too. I have seen city workers use this to carry tools, brooms, ladders and cut branches when they clean the park. I have also seen construction workers use them.

I took a close-up so that you could see the wheel. It looks like a bicycle wheel. See the frame around it? That looks like a good idea.