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[Elderly Care] Summary of Ideas and Recreational Activities Linked to August Events
August is the height of summer.
Many people may find themselves staying indoors because of the heat.
To help older adults fully enjoy the season, we’re sharing event ideas for August.
We’ve gathered plenty of summer-only ideas like festivals, fireworks, barbecues, and flowing somen noodles.
Since everyone prepares together, it can also be a great opportunity to deepen communication among older adults.
We hope this article will be a helpful reference for staff so that everyone can enjoy this summer.
[Elderly Care] Summary of Plans and Recreational Activities Inspired by August Events (1–10)
Watermelon splitting
Bring the stick down with a powerful swing—crack! Nicely done! It’s watermelon smashing, a delicious summer recreation.
Green and black stripes with a peek of red between them… just imagining it makes you hungry, doesn’t it? If you’ve tried it before, you’ll know that you actually need quite a bit of force to break a watermelon with a stick.
For safety, it’s recommended that a staff member hold the stick together with the participant or place a supportive hand to steady their body.
Also, placing the watermelon on a raised surface like a table rather than on the ground makes it easier to aim and allows it to be done while seated.
Awa Odori Exercise
Awa Odori, the traditional performing art of Tokushima Prefecture.
It’s known as one of Japan’s three major Bon dances, and every August a large festival is held in Tokushima City.
Let’s try a set of exercises inspired by Awa Odori! The actual dance moves the hands and feet in quick, intricate ways and has quite a fast pace, but the exercises introduced here are more relaxed—and you can even do them while seated, so no worries.
Move your whole body with big motions and stretch freely as you exercise.
Let’s power through the summer with energy!
Shaved ice making
Making shaved ice is perfect for a hot and humid summer.
First, prepare a shaved ice machine and a few kinds of syrup.
Then let everyone enjoy watching the ice being shaved.
Next, pick a favorite syrup and pour it on—this part is exciting and fun, too.
After that, it’s finally time to dig in.
You can savor the delicious taste or get carried away reminiscing about summer memories! Adding some toppings can make it even more fun.
barbecue
Charcoal crackling, meat sizzling, and a mouthwatering aroma! How about hosting a barbecue using an open space at the facility? It’s the perfect recreation for summer.
Since you’ll be using fire, be sure to prepare water and take the utmost care with safety.
It’s also a good idea to set up a sunshade tarp to prevent heatstroke.
In addition to vegetables and meat, grilling rice balls and marshmallows is highly recommended! Eating together outdoors with lots of lively chatter is truly something special.
Food stall menu
When you go to a summer festival, what do you buy and eat from the food stalls? Yakisoba, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, corn dogs, shaved ice… all sorts of things come to mind, and just thinking about them makes my stomach growl.
So here’s an idea: incorporate festival foods into the meal menu at a care facility! It’s a nifty way to gently weave a sense of the season into everyday life.
You can’t skip the sauce-based dishes—after all, the aroma is irresistible.
flowing somen (nagashi-somen)
Catch the somen noodles as they rush by at high speed! Dip them in mentsuyu and slurp them right up! Let’s try nagashi-somen, a classic summer recreation.
I did just call it a “classic,” but since it takes quite a bit of prep—like a long piece of bamboo, a spacious area, and a tub to catch the water—there may be few seniors who have actually tried it.
All the more reason to give it a go now.
You can also try flowing round, rollable fruits like grapes instead of somen!
Festival stall games
Speaking of summer, how about experiencing a festival-style fair as a recreational activity? That bustling scene with crowds and rows of food stalls excites us no matter how old we are.
Open up a shooting gallery, a shaved ice stand, a cotton candy booth, and more! The more stalls you have, the more ways there are to enjoy the fair.
If you do it indoors, it’s also easy to beat the heat.
Ring toss gets the body moving, and goldfish scooping provides great finger stimulation.
With the right ideas, the possibilities are endless!