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Communication with Our Customers in the Elderly Care Business
Contributing to the Super-Aging Society through Our Business
The rate at which Japan's population is aging continues to accelerate even after the country has become a super-aged society in 2010. In October 2024, the aging rate reached 29.3%*, and is estimated to exceed 30% by 2030. Taking measures to deal with the super-aging society is one of the important social challenges Japan faces. In addition, concentration of population in Tokyo and depopulation in rural areas have become nationwide issues in the aging of society and a decrease in the birthrate. To help solve these issues, Sumitomo Forestry is developing the elderly care business as a response to a super-aged society, and is promoting regional revitalization projects in response to overpopulation in Tokyo and depopulation in rural areas. In the elderly care business, we are making use of the experience and knowledge that we have gained by creating comfortable living spaces in the housing business. We apply this know-how as we strive to enhance both quality and quantity in implementing various services centering on enabling the elderly to continue living with vitality for every possible day in safe and secure living environments.
*Source: The FY2025 Annual Report on the Ageing Society by the Cabinet Office, Japan
Expanding Services in Response to Customer Needs
The Sumitomo Forestry Group provides long-term care for the elderly through Sumirin Fill Care Co., Ltd. and Sumirin Care Life Co., Ltd.
In order to deliver the Sumitomo Forestry Group's high-quality services to as many customers as possible, the Group has set the goal of increasing the number of rooms at the facilities operated by the two companies in the Mid-Term Sustainability Targets. In 2025, the total number of rooms offered by the companies increased to 1,882 following the opening of new facilities.
Sumirin Fill Care's Nursing Care Service Business for the Elderly
Sumirin Fill Care provides comprehensive services to each resident of its facilities through staff arrangement that exceeds the number required under nursing care insurance standards. In November 2025, the company opened a new private nursing home, "Grand Forest Noborito", and as of December 2025, the company operates 17 private elderly homes with nursing care, which have a total of 884 rooms. The company has also launched in-home care services, including home visit care services by professional caregivers and nurses, as well as palliative care services. Furthermore, it operates three day-care centers for the elderly and provides lifestyle support services for visitors to the facilities.
Sumirin Care Life's Nursing Care Service Business for the Elderly
Sumirin Care Life has operated four large-scale private elderly homes with nursing care in Kobe and Nishinomiya. These homes provide both services for independent living and nursing care services. The number of staff on duty at Sumirin Care Life’s facilities is at least double that required under nursing care insurance standards. The company provides a high level of overall services by stationing its staff at the facilities 24 hours a day and by partnering with the medical clinics established at all of its facilities. The company has earned high praise for its service quality from external institutions. At four facilities, including Elegano Nishinomiya, the company offers a total of 998 rooms. It also operates a total of seven service stations offering in-home nursing services, such as visiting nurse services, as well as day-care services to support the day-to-day living of the elderly.
Gran Forest Gakugei Daigaku, a private elderly home with nursing care operated by Sumirin Fill Care
Total number of rooms offered
FY2025 target
1,882rooms
Total number of rooms offered
FY2025 result
1,882rooms
Safe and Comfortable Homes for Customers and Coexistence with Nature
－Grand Forest Denenchofu－
Sumirin Fill Care Co., Ltd. values the warmth of "people" and "wood" and supports the safe, secure and comfortable living of customers through its nursing care staff, nursing staff and other professionals. It strives to provide homes that are featured with the use of wood and in harmony with nature.
At the new elderly home, Grand Forest Denenchofu, the company is bringing together the technologies and know-how of the Sumitomo Forestry Group to create a “space surrounded by trees,” while also promoting the provision of Sumirin Fill Care's own rehabilitation services and making effective use of ICT.
Exterior view of Grand Forest Denenchofu
Lobby surrounded by “trees”
"Forest Life," a Unique Rehabilitation Service Closely in Tune with Each and Every Resident
Sumirin Fill Care provides residents of its facilities with “Lifestyle Rehabilitation" service" to help them maintain and improve their functional ability, “Individual Rehabilitation" service offered by training instructors according to the needs of individual residents, the "Recreation" service for the residents to enjoy their daily lives, and the "Forest Life” rehabilitation service that combines all these services. At the facilities, not only nursing care workers, but also physical therapists and other professional staff work together to respond to the conditions and needs of the residents and support their personal lifestyles.
ICT-Based Health Support
The company introduced a resident monitoring system that employs ICT in all rooms. Through this system, information about the indoor environment, the sleep status of residents, and the status of activities conducted in the room is converted into digital data. This "visualized" resident data is used to prevent falls and to understand the situation of individual residents and to effectively maintain and improve their health. Moreover, by combining the functions of the elderly care record system and the nurse call function for the sharing of daily information among staff, the company makes it easier for the staff to quickly respond to changes in residents’ situations while reducing the burden imposed on them. Moreover, the company introduced a medication management system in the form of an ICT device to prevent medication errors, including failures to take medication as directed.
Extensive Use of Wood and Greenery in the Interior and on the Exterior
For Grand Forest Denenchofu, Sumitomo Forestry Crest supplied the wood floor material, which is gentle on bare feet to reduce the burden on the legs and hips and provides a woody space where people can relax. In addition, Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping Co., Ltd. was in charge of the facility's exterior finishes and landscaping work. The landscaping is centered on native species that harmonize with the surroundings. The building is BELS★★★★* -certified and is designed to be friendly to the environment.
* BELS is a third-party evaluation system based on the Building-Housing Energy-Efficiency Labeling Guidelines (evaluation standards on labeling of the energy consumption performance for buildings) defined by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The Association for Housing Performance Evaluation & Labeling runs this certification system and objectively evaluates the energy efficiency of buildings and gives them a five-tier star rating. BELS stands for the Building-Housing Energy-efficiency Labeling System.
Combining the Sumitomo Forestry Group’s Living Environment- and Elderly Care-Related Know-How
－Elegano Nishinomiya－
Sumirin Care Life is working to improve the living environment of its facilities so that each resident can lead a unique and fulfilling life, and the nursing and care workers, external medical practitioners, specialist lecturers, nutritionists and care managers work together to promote the provision of high-quality services at the facilities.
Sumirin Care Life is operating a nursing-care insurance business office on the premises of Elegano Nishinomiya. This facility accepts those who can live independently and also those in need of support or nursing care and is committed to providing residents, including those in need of nursing care, with a safe and comfortable living environment. A variety of innovative measures are taken at the facility to help all residents live more energetic lives.
Utilization of Living Environment-Related Know-How
The Sumitomo Forestry Group’s living environment-related know-how is widely utilized at the elderly home. The vaulted dining room where daily meals are served has a private Japanese-style dining space where residents can enjoy a meal with their family, being surrounded by the warmth of wood. Elegano Nishinomiya also has exteriors and a promenade where residents can feel seasonal changes, which was designed with the help of Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping. On the care floor terrace for residents in need of long-term care, there is a garden with flower beds for the residents to enjoy gardening while sitting in a wheelchair. The rooms for residents in need of long-term nursing care are equipped with bedside tables to provide the residents with more comfortable sleep through the power of wood and indirect lighting. The tables were developed based on the research results from the Tsukuba Research Institute. In addition, all units are equipped with an emergency call system. Wi-Fi is also provided in standard units to ensure a safe, secure, and comfortable living environment.
Full Medical and Health Support
Medical support is available to all residents, through MRI brain scanning for the early detection of dementia and tumor marker tests for the early detection of cancer. To maintain the health of residents, the exercise room provides water beds that provide massages through the power of water, as well as various other training machines and lessons by sports instructors.
Programs to Enrich Daily Life
A variety of cultural programs are implemented for residents of the facilities, from traditional board games like Go and mahjong, to artistic activities such as watercolor painting, calligraphy and flower arrangement classes. Skilled artisans teach in the programs and even beginners and residents in need of long-term care can enjoy the lessons according to their skill level and health. In cooperation with Kobe College, Sumirin Care Life also holds regular concerts by college and graduate students majoring in music at its facilities.
Exterior view of Elegano Nishinomiya
Lobby surrounded by “wood”
Outdoor terrace where residents can enjoy gardening even in a wheelchair
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