According to a research by UK bank Barclays, there are 4.3 million people over the age of 65 who are feeling disconnected from their own country because of the various accessibility issues that comes with age, and as part of an experiment to better understand some accessibility issues elderly people face on a day to day basis, Barclays has created an Age Suit.
The bank wanted to find a way to put young people in the shoes of the elderly and help the young generation understand what being old feels like. Barclays made an ‘Aging Suit’ tailored to recreate the physical hardships and mobility issues that may come with age.
The suit offers a great insight into what it’s like to do simple, everyday activities with restrictions. The heavy suit is lined with weights and also sends electric pulses to your fingers to replicate arthritis. There are even goggles to imitate deteriorating eyesight that is slightly yellow and blurred, making it hard to see through. With added weights attached to the ankles and sound restrictions, to slow down movement and making it even harder to discern what is going on around you.
Age-Simulating Suits
Barclays' Age Suit Makes You Walk a Mile in an Elderly’s Shoes
Trend Themes
1. Age-simulating Suits - Creating suits that simulate the physical hardships and mobility issues of the elderly.
2. Accessibility Challenges - Addressing the various accessibility issues that affect the elderly.
3. Empathy and Understanding - Promoting empathy and understanding of aging through experiential learning.
Industry Implications
1. Banking and Finance - Innovating financial services to cater to the needs of an aging population.
2. Healthcare - Developing assistive technologies and products for the elderly.
3. Education and Training - Offering age simulation programs to educate and train young professionals in multiple industries.