When their ever-vibrant mother was suddenly diagnosed with a terminal illness, one family placed their hopes in a little-known Toyota initiative.
An unexpected refusal
Saichi had looked forward to going out together once more, but his wife declined the invitation.
The reason had to do with restrooms—while the car no longer posed a problem, she was greatly concerned about getting out and going to the bathroom during outings.
Saichi
Since she refused at first, we started with drives around the neighborhood. The Sienta’s roomy rear seats mean you can get changed in the car, without going to the bathroom. If you lay the seats flat and roll out a mat it becomes like a bed, so we didn’t have to worry even if she wanted to lie down.
After a few trips in the local area, she felt ready to go on longer journeys.
Saichi says his "fondest memory" is a trip to the Kirigamine Highlands in Nagano.
Saichi
She worked up the nerve to head out, so I suggested we visit the places we traveled to every year. Maybe buy some lunch at the roadside stands. We ate our fill and laughed about how we’d had a good run to make it this far. She looked really happy.
Six months later, Saichi bid farewell to his wife.
Saichi
Who would have thought that would be our last trip... but I’m really glad we got to go. She was also able to see her grandchild and the wisteria flowers she loved. We made many special memories.
Getting out and about in a super-aging society
As seen in the initiative at the heart of this story, Toyota strives to deliver “Mobility for All.”
By 2050, four out of ten people in Japan are expected to be older adults. With the cost of nursing care rising every year, there is growing pressure to shorten the period of care and shift to assisting individuals in their homes. In other words, the key is extending healthy life expectancy.
Getting out of the house helps prevent dementia and problems with walking. To assist with this goal, Toyota led the industry in enabling Turn Tilt Seats to be retrofitted rather than simply offered as a factory option for new cars.
Those receiving care may be reluctant to have expensive welfare vehicles bought on their behalf. Toyota’s Yukio Inaguma elaborates:
Yukio Inaguma, Project General Manager, CV Management Div.
With the financial burden of purchasing welfare vehicles and the time taken for delivery, we weren’t getting them to those in need when they truly needed them. Being able to retrofit seats means we can help more people get out and about.
Like the Ohara family, those diagnosed with a terminal illness don’t have time to wait. The ability to deliver quickly makes all the difference.
Turn Tilt Seats are easy to operate with just a single lever, allowing individuals to get in the car without assistance. Toyota has made them available as an option for standard models, providing an alternative to buying a new welfare vehicle. What was the reasoning behind this move?
Yukimi Kodama, Assistant Manager, Parts & Accessories Business Dept., Japan Business Planning Div.
Some people would rather keep their condition private, so we designed these seats to eliminate the air of assisted mobility. To that end, we’ve now made them available as an option on the standard Sienta, Aqua, and Yaris. They can also be added as a retrofit on older Prius and Prius PHV models.
Saichi nods in agreement.
Saichi
I think she would have felt uncomfortable in anything that was obviously meant for someone receiving care. Being a very spirited person, she was embarrassed to let people know that she was being cared for. I believe (the fact that it looked like a usual car) gave my wife peace of mind.
Even after Saichi’s wife passed away, the Sienta has continued to serve as a courtesy shuttle for customers at the hair salon. They appreciate being able to make the trip without having to rely on family members.
Yukio Inaguma, Project General Manager, CV Management Div.
Aside from the psychological and physical barriers to leaving the home, there are also hurdles related to safety and infrastructure. We want to remove these barriers, one by one, to help achieve mobility for all.
Although the Turn Tilt Seat is still little known, Toyota remains committed to these efforts, driven by its mission of ensuring that no one is left behind.