caring changing, the household of single elder's increasing also bring a lot of pressure on the society. How to give
these elder a better later years is a huge project.
Against this massive change, to support elders' later years' life need both the "hardware" and the "software". The
hardware is about to provide convenience residence for elders, the software is about supporting their daily life.
Japan is working real hard on both residence side and the welfare facilities side. Along the "hardware" side, for
providing the ensure of the comfortable living environment, there is a "residence service" which can provide new
residence or remodel the old residences to make it more convenient for elders to hold out. Along the "software" side,
for helping lower physical status' elders, there is "nursing service" which is backed up by the nursing care insurance
(also called long-term care insurance). With the Later Stage's population increased in Japan most of families choose
the welfare facilities to take care of the elders. Therefore, study and explore the design of welfare facility is today's
big project in Japan.
In this paper, by investigating one of the largest welfare facilities In Kitakyushu, to find out how to use welfare
facilities to provide ensure of elders' later life, and the specific contents of the existing welfare facilities, as well as
how the design of the facility consider for the elders. And also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the
design.