Aikomi and Asahi Soft Drinks Conduct Joint Research on Preventing Elderly Isolation Using 'Calpis'; Results to be Presented at the 27th Japan Dementia Care Society Conference

Aikomi Co., Ltd., through joint research with Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd., has verified the effectiveness of using beverages as a recall stimulus to contribute to measures against 'social frailty' among the elderly. In a demonstration experiment conducted at an elderly care facility in Tokyo in December 2025, it was suggested that the 'nostalgia' triggered by 'Calpis,' a beverage loved by multiple generations for many years, serves as a catalyst for sharing 'narratives' with others. These findings are considered research with the potential to be converted into 'social capital.' This initiative is part of academic and practical research on social issues, and the results will be presented at the 27th Japan Dementia Care Society Conference in 2026. In dementia care practice, it is important to focus on the context and emotions of an individual's life. Therefore, by using 'Calpis,' a beverage shared across generations, as a recall stimulus, the study verified the possibility of a new evaluation framework that assists in life understanding by focusing on emotional episodes shared by participants. This research presented a relationship model where recall stimuli using beverages—'Trigger (sensory stimulation) -> Emotional arousal -> Social connection'—can maintain sociality. It was suggested that this framework could be used as an auxiliary method to complement cognitive function evaluation and support understanding of the individual by focusing on their life history.