Ukiha no Takara, or Ukiha\u2019s Treasure, in Fukuoka draws on cooking, hospitality and fashion skills accumulated over decades.<\/b>
\nA Japanese start-up is expanding a \u201cgranny business\u201d that turns seniors\u2019 lifetime skills into paid work through cafes, food stalls and community festivals, placing elderly women \u2013 including those with dementia \u2013 at the centre of local economies.
Based in the Fukuoka prefecture city of Ukiha, Ukiha no Takara, or Ukiha\u2019s Treasure, draws on cooking, hospitality and fashion skills accumulated over decades, offering paid employment rather than volunteer roles.
The initiative aims to reduce isolation among seniors while keeping money circulating within local communities.
\u201cWhen seniors earn money and spend it locally, it helps create vibrant regional communities,\u201d said Mitsuru Okuma, 45, president and CEO of the company behind the project.
Every Thursday at 10am, about five women in their eighties and nineties living with dementia gather at Grandma\u2019s Tearoom in Fukuoka. After tying on aprons, they set to work pounding pork cutlets and shredding cabbage.
Masako Taniguchi, 85, serves as the cafe\u2019s main dish cook and \u201cpin-up girl\u201d. She previously worked in restaurants and snack bars \u2013 experience she now applies to both cooking and customer service. As customers leave, she sees them off with a smile.<\/p>\n