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 Wholesale Rental Provider of Living Assistance Equipment  Nippon Care Supply Co., Ltd. has carved out a new market niche as a wholesale provider of rental living assistance equipment for individuals utilizing Japan's public long-term care insurance. The company purchases living assistance equipment directly from manufacturers, which it then provides to home care service providers for rental by end users. The company handles 12 categories of living assistance equipment that are subsidized under the national public long-term care insurance. Its product lineup includes wheelchairs, beds and walkers. After equipment is returned from rental, it receives thorough maintenance under the strictest quality control measures before being made available again for rental. The maintenance process includes cleaning and sanitization of equipment in addition to inspection and repair. Nippon Care Supply's business makes a positive social contribution by effectively using available resources in order to provide safe and reliable living assistance equipment for rent.  A Business Project Designed to Develop Social Infrastructure Nippon Care Supply was originally established in 1998 as a business project of MC, aimed at contributing to the development of Japan's social infrastructure. Japan is faced with a society that is aging demographically at a rate unprecedented in world history. In establishing Nippon Care Supply, MC set out to create a business that could contribute to the Japanese society of the 21st century. The project's goal was to create a network of useful and convenient services for care providers and for individuals receiving care. The provision of rental living assistance equipment is a relatively new market. We felt it our responsibility to quickly found a stability base.  Nationwide Care Infrastructure Links End Users and their Care Providers with Manufacturers Prior to the introduction of the Nursing Care Insurance Law in Japan, living assistance equipment were supplied by the government through home care providers. However, with the introduction of this insurance law, home care providers were faced with the need to make significant capital investments including the purchase of living assistance equipment. Nippon Care Supply addresses the needs of home care providers through the wholesale rental of this equipment. Nippon Care Supply maintains an inventory of around 300,000 items covering a wide variety of high-quality living assistance equipment. From Hokkaido to Kyushu and Okinawa, the nationwide coverage provided by 67 self-managed establishments enables the company to efficiently supply living assistance equipment to around 3,500 care providers. Nippon Care Supply uses this extensive network of branches across Japan to find out about the needs of end users, and passes this information on as feedback to manufacturers so that equipment can be improved. The company is committed to building a nationwide health care infrastructure that links manufacturers to home care providers and to individuals requiring care. Clean, Safe and Reliable Products a Top Priority The company's top priority for rental care equipment is to ensure that items are clean, safe and reliable. After items are returned from rental, thorough cleaning and sanitization is performed at all branch offices. Every branch office performing these operations has passed stringent standards and has been certified in sterilization management of living assistance equipment by the Elderly Service Providers Association. To ensure the traceability of equipment, Nippon Care Supply must handle personal information including the names, addresses and type of care needed by individuals. Due to the sensitive nature of maintaining this type of data, the company obtained Privacy Mark certification in May 2005, signifying that it has taken adequate steps to protect personal information. Care Products: Supporting Independence for the Elderly and Easing the Burden on Caregivers Care products are designed to support the independence of the elderly and to ease the burden on the individuals who are providing care. Living assistance equipment can assist bedridden persons to get up or to spend time outdoors, potentially postponing the need to move to more advanced levels of care. The type of care that people need differs from one person to another and it is essential to choose suitable equipment to achieve desirable outcomes. For example recommending an electric wheelchair for a person, who can walk a few meters unaided, may result in that person losing the ability to walk. It is extremely important to choose equipment that fits each individual, and to make sure it is used in the proper way. Care managers and care providers, who work most closely with end users, are responsible for this crucial task. To assist them, Nippon Care Supply has established an in-house qualification program for supervisors who have specialized knowledge of this equipment. The company also conducts training sessions for care managers and for care providers on proper usage of living assistance equipment and 700 training sessions are conducted across Japan every year. Sustainable Recycling: Part of the Business Vision Generally, in the rental business an important determinant of profit is ensuring that equipment can be constantly available for rent for as long as possible. Nippon Care Supply adheres to the 4R concept (recycle, reuse, reduce and repair), an environmentally sustainable business model that not only lessens the environmental impact from the disposal of living assistance equipment, but also reduces the costs. Part of this effort includes donating beds and wheelchairs to high schools, schools for the disabled, vocational schools and public institutions. The initiative ensures that equipment is effectively utilized even after it has been used for rental purposes. These donations were targeted at institutions that focus on personnel development in the field of human welfare. Nippon Care Supply also provides hands-on learning concerning the use of wheelchairs and walkers during the period for integrated learning in schools and gives people a simulated elderly experience. The company also sent local staff into the field to provide instruction on usage and maintenance. These initiatives are part of an active commitment to promote greater familiarity with and availability of living assistance equipment. Wheelchairs are also donated to developing countries with serious shortages of living assistance equipment. Nippon Care Supply worked with MC and non-profit organizations to donate wheelchairs to such as the following countries: Honduras, Thailand, earthquake-stricken Pakistan and Cambodia. All wheelchairs are first thoroughly cleaned and sanitized by employees, then inspected and repaired before being packed with a donation card. Because employees handle this process the initiative also helps to raise internal awareness about the company's social contribution activities. 
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