In Japan, a “rental grandmother” service has been operating for more than ten years. Grandmothers on demand. Like pizza delivery, only instead of food, it is a person with wisdom, care and tasty home-style advice.
The “OK! Obaachan” project, meaning “Okay, Grandma!”, was launched in 2011 by Tokyo-based Client Partners. It all started with a simple idea: if there is a “husband for an hour,” why not invent a “grandmother for an hour” — especially in a country with a rapidly aging population. Clients invite an older woman to their home, and she can help with housework, bake pies and simply talk heart to heart. In short, a grandmother like any other — only under contract.
The service does more than help retired women avoid boredom — it gives them a new sense of purpose, income (about $55 an hour!) and, above all, a feeling of being needed. At the same time, it helps relieve loneliness not only among older people, but also among the clients themselves. It is also a way to preserve traditions and pass on experience.
The idea emerged against the backdrop of a troubling trend: there are more older women in Japan, while there are fewer jobs for them. They are usually offered only simple positions such as cleaning. Here, by contrast, the work is interesting, with status and attention. It is possible that the idea of “grandmothers on demand” will soon leave Japan and spread around the world. Maybe one day we will press a “call a grandmother” button in an app ourselves. And even if she is not related, she will still be real.
