[April 28 is Senior Day] Modern 'Shukatsu' is Positive: How 'Experience' Moves Seniors Who Can't Act Alone

Oustance Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Ryoto Kikukawa), operator of the senior community SNS 'Shumibito Club,' conducted an awareness and behavioral survey on 'Shukatsu' targeting 1,973 seniors in their 50s to 70s. This report presents the findings alongside the end-of-life related experiential events deployed by Shumibito Club.

[Survey Summary]
- The #1 image of Shukatsu is 'Preparation to spend the rest of life positively and authentically' (43.3%).
- This surpassed the #2 image, 'Preparation for funeral and inheritance procedures' (36.9%), by about 6 percentage points, indicating a shift in perspective.
- 94.6% of participants in Shukatsu seminars/courses started concrete actions after attending.
- In experiential events held by Shumibito Club, over 50% of participants applied for on-site consultations, leading to actual store visits.

■ From 'Death Preparation' to 'Life Design'
When asked about their image of Shukatsu, the most common response was 'Preparation to spend the rest of life positively and authentically' (43.3%). This exceeded 'Preparation for post-death procedures' (36.9%) and 'Organizing risks like medical, nursing, and assets' (19.8%). A 2021 national survey previously showed 'preparing for death' was mainstream, but this new data shows a clear reversal. Shukatsu is now firmly established as an activity to think proactively about 'how to live' rather than 'how to end.'

■ Awareness Changes, but Action is Hard Alone
Despite this shift, many seniors feel it's necessary but cannot act. Reasons like 'feeling it's too early' or 'not knowing where to start' rank high, showing a gap between interest and action.

■ Seminar Attendance Leads Directly to Action
A key insight from the survey: 94.6% of those who attended Shukatsu seminars started some concrete action. Creating a place to 'experience' functions better as a push toward action than just 'delivering information.'

■ Games Turned Shukatsu into a 'Personal Matter'—50% Conversion on the Spot
Shumibito Club broke through the barrier of low action rates with experience-based events using games. In a joint event with the service 'Shukatsu no Madoguchi,' they used the 'Moshibana Game'—a dialogue-based card game. By discussing themes like 'What would you value if you had six months left to live?' participants naturally voiced their views on life and death. This experience, where participants organize feelings in their own words rather than being told by experts, created a positive atmosphere. Consequently, over 50% applied for consultations on the spot, and the Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) was reduced to about 1/3 of the projection.

■ Participant Feedback
- 'The expert's talk was clear, and the game was fun!'
- 'I don't have a specific problem yet, but knowing where to go for help is a big win.'
- 'I've been curious about Shukatsu, and this gave me the push to write my ending note.'

[Conclusion]
Voices overturning images of 'difficult' or 'gloomy' are increasing. As interest rises, the key is the design of the entry point. Providing a 'non-scary place' determines the success of lead generation and trust building for Shukatsu services.