More Than Just a Hobby: The 'Second Place' Supporting Seniors and the Power of Conversation

I am Kumataro Yokoyama, a training instructor and sign language interpreter.

While utilizing AI, I provide information for seniors and introduce books and gadgets.

As we age, our connections with others change little by little.

After retiring from work and seeing children become independent, daily human relationships become quieter than before.

In such circumstances, the existence of a 'second community' is currently attracting attention.

This refers to a 'place where you can be yourself' outside of your home or family.

In a survey recently conducted by GN Hearing Japan K.K., the realities of 'second communities and hearing' were investigated among 300 seniors aged 60 to 75.

The results were very interesting.

Seniors are seeking 'places where they can talk to people'

According to the survey, the core of the second communities that seniors participate in are:

Gatherings with friends
Hobby circles
Community activities
Sports or supporting a favorite celebrity

and so on.

And, at the top of the list of reasons for participating are:

Refreshment
A place to talk casually

which are listed side by side.

I thought this was very important.

As people age, they are no longer moved by 'roles' alone.

Unlike when they were young, they no longer act based on:

'Going because it's work'

'Participating because it's an obligation'

Or rather,

'It's fun to go there'

'I can talk to someone'

'I feel at ease for some reason'

I think they start seeking such a 'place for the heart'.

The number one secret to continuing is 'conversation'

What was even more impressive was that

the number one 'secret to enjoying a second community for a long time'

was

'being able to enjoy conversation with other participants (60.3%)'

it was.

It ranks higher than maintaining health.

In other words, for the senior generation,

'being able to talk to people'

is not just idle chatter.

I believe it is

the very 'sense of being connected to society'

itself.

'Conversation' is actually a very sophisticated thing

We usually take conversation for granted.

However, in reality,

・Listening to the other person
・Understanding the words
・Reading the room
・Timing the response
・Observing facial expressions
・Thinking of a reply

are all very complex tasks that we perform simultaneously.

Especially among the senior generation,

'difficulty hearing'

can gradually increase.

In this survey as well,

approximately 17%

'difficulty hearing and finding it hard to hold a conversation'

responded that they feel anxious about this.

This is by no means a small number.

'Difficulty hearing' can lead to isolation

Difficulty hearing is not simply a matter of volume.

The truly significant issue is

'finding it difficult to join the conversation'

itself.

For example,

everyone laughed, but you were the only one who couldn't hear what was said.

The conversation moved on, and you missed your chance to speak.

You felt guilty for having to ask them to repeat themselves multiple times.

When these things pile up, people gradually start to distance themselves from conversation.

And before they realize it,

they start thinking,

'It's a hassle to go out,'

'It's tiring,'

or 'It's easier to just stay home.'

I believe this is not just a matter of hearing, but also a matter of one's 'distance from society.'

Even so, many people still want to connect.

This is what I found to be very positive in this survey.

Even if their hearing becomes impaired,

86.3% of people

answered that they

'would like to find a solution.'

I thought this was wonderful.

In other words, many in the senior generation

are not saying, 'I'm old, so it can't be helped,'

but rather,

'I want to protect my important place to belong.'

They are thinking this.

This is a very powerful stance.

'Things to do' and 'spontaneous conversation'

This survey also included commentary from Professor Mitsunori Ishida of Waseda University.

What left an impression on me within that was

'things to do' and 'spontaneous conversation'

the phrase itself.

I truly felt that this is exactly right.

Japanese people, in particular,

'Come on, let's socialize!'

often feel nervous when told this.

However,

playing sports together,

engaging in hobbies,

cleaning,

while 'doing' something,

conversations naturally emerge bit by bit.

The accumulation of that,

'It's okay to be here'

I believe leads to that sense of belonging.

In the world of sign language, 'conversation' is also important

This is the same in the world of sign language.

Some sign language learners

focus only on

memorizing vocabulary.

However, what is truly important is

interacting with others.

Even if it is a bit awkward,

laughing while you converse.

Even if you don't get your point across well,

try again.

That accumulation of efforts

builds a

'place where you belong.'

Conversation is not merely an exchange of information.

I believe it is the very essence of human relationships,

saying, 'I want to be with you.'

Conclusion

What I felt after reading this survey is that

the senior generation does not at all want to 'shut themselves away,'

but rather the opposite.

That is what I believe.

In fact,

There are so many people who want to connect with others,

who want to stay involved with society,

and who want to have fun conversations.

That is why,

I believe it is so important for society as a whole to support challenges like,

hearing,

mobility,

and physical strength.

In the era of the 100-year life,

more than just living a long time,

how we protect the time we spend laughing with someone else

is something that will become increasingly important,

don't you think?

Read the original article here

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