SHAPE Magazine 1 / 2013 - SCA

GLASSES WITH
THE SAME EFFECT
AS CATARACTS
Substantially
impaired vision
VEST WEIGHING
10 KILOGRAMS
Makes it diffi cult
to move
KNEEPADS WITH
DOUBLE FASTENINGS
Restrict mobility
The
parts
of the
age suit
Not shown: neck collar that
impairs neck mobility
WEIGHTS
AROUND THE
WRISTS
Make it diffi cult
to move
WEIGHTS
AROUND THE
ANKLES
Make it diffi cult
to move
MARKET
am moving at a snail’s pace? The suit has
an additional feature – a back splint with
conical spikes that dig into the back at
the slightest movement. I break into a
cold sweat and my eyes water when I try
to bend down and put on my shoes. No,
going shopping with the back splint is
out of the question, so I take it off again.
Being old for a day is tough enough. Being
old and in pain is unbearable.
The fi rst problem arises immediately.
How do you lock the door when you
can’t see? I grope to locate the keyhole
and fi nally manage to fi nd the right key
for both locks. This is followed by the
challenge of getting downstairs without
falling. Phew, I manage that by carefully
going down one foot at a time. It’s lucky
the stairs are not freshly scrubbed or I
would probably have slipped.
OUTSIDE IT’S FOGGY, thanks to the
glasses. I feel lonely and shut into my own
silent world. Shadowy fi gures suddenly
materialize half a meter in front of my
eyes and move aside. I wonder whether
there is anyone I know nearby. How isolated
you must feel as an elderly person.
The fi rst store I visit is new to me, creating
some confusion. How can I fi nd anything
here? I can see the shelves but can’t
make out what is on them, apart from a
bright Coca-Cola sign. With my stiff legs
I make my way to the next store that is
located nearer home ground and where
SCA’S AGE SUIT
Many consumers of SCA products
are much older than the average SCA
employee. The age suit gives a unique
opportunity for younger people to discover
what old age feels like. The hope is
that this will provide valuable knowledge
as a background for product development,
product design and packaging
design. Externally, SCA uses the suit to
enhance understanding of the needs of
elderly consumers in customer segments
such as retail, assisted living, hospitals
and home help services.
SCA SHAPE 1 2013 27