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[For Staff] Energize Your Nursing Home Respect-for-the-Aged Day! Performance Ideas Full of Laughter and Emotion
Entertainment for Respect-for-the-Aged Day is a wonderful opportunity for residents and staff to come together as one.
Here are some fun ideas that are sure to make everyone smile.
From dances and two-person kyogen-style skits (futari-baori) to magic shows, every act will warm the hearts of both the audience and the participants.
You can choose anything from simple to more elaborate performances to suit your facility’s atmosphere.
The time seniors and staff spend planning and practicing together will surely become cherished memories.
[For Staff] Liven Up Your Nursing Care Facility’s Respect-for-the-Aged Day Celebration! 10 Entertainment Ideas Full of Laughter and Emotion (1–10)
Magic
Magic is a great recommendation for energizing events at senior facilities.
There’s a wide range, from simple card tricks to full-body escape acts.
The trick where a person gets into a box and rods or similar objects are inserted is famous, isn’t it? Let’s bring that kind of heart-pounding magic to seniors.
When the person inside emerges safely, get the venue excited with grand background music, cheers, and applause.
It’s the perfect entertainment for large-scale events at senior facilities.
Ogiri (Japanese improv-style comedy wordplay game)
An ogiri game where respondents come up with unique answers to prompts given by the host.
It’s recommended to invite seniors to be the audience and set up the stage in a Shoten-style format with participants lined up.
In addition to wearing colorful traditional Japanese attire, preparing floor cushions will further enhance the ogiri atmosphere.
If you make it a participation-based program, you can solicit themes or have seniors who think of answers share them.
Incorporating elements of theater and rakugo will make it enjoyable for a wide range of people.
Japanese taiko drum
If you want to liven up a summer festival, a “wadaiko” (Japanese drum) performance is highly recommended! The powerful sound of the drums fills the venue with excitement and spreads smiles to everyone watching.
One of the charms is that you can enjoy Bon Odori along with the drum rhythms, and even those who aren’t confident about dancing will find their bodies moving naturally when they hear the familiar beat.
Drumming together, dancing together, and getting excited together will become the best memory of the summer festival.
Give this idea a try to create a lively, energetic summer moment!
tambourine performance
Instead of simply shaking a tambourine to the music, tambourine performance art uses the whole body and a variety of techniques to play it.
You can make sounds with your arms, legs—really any part of your body—thread your arm through the middle of the tambourine, and incorporate different choreographed moves.
Doing so creates a cool tambourine act.
Up-tempo songs look more impressive, so they’re recommended.
Also, Gonzo, who has appeared on the world-famous audition show ‘Got Talent,’ showcases many tambourine acts, so be sure to check him out for inspiration.
The lively sounds and fun movements are sure to get older adults excited too!
Matsuken Samba
Released in 2004, “Matsuken Samba” is apparently still popular today.
The Matsuken Samba collaboration cafe held in Shibuya, Tokyo drew huge crowds; the numbered tickets sold out, and the items for sale became a hot topic.
Many people—perhaps even older adults who might feel energized by it—seem to love “Matsuken Samba.” Kensaku Matsudaira’s dazzling costume and his singing and dancing leave a strong impression.
If you perform the song and dance from “Matsuken Samba” at a birthday party, it’s sure to be a hit.
And of course, we recommend that the staff performing also wear glamorous costumes.
The Drifters’ Big Laughter
This recreates the ending scene of the variety show “Dorifu Daibakushō,” which featured The Drifters.
To the song “Sayonara Suru no wa Tsurai Kedo,” the members sway their bodies slowly while a cheer dance is performed in front of them.
When staging it as a performance, it’s recommended to highlight the contrast between the members’ languid vibe and the cheer dance.
Even within the relaxed mood, each member’s movements have subtle differences, so it might be interesting to focus on those fine details as well.
Shanshan Umbrella Dance
Let’s perform the Shanshan Umbrella Dance to the song “Kiyoshi no Sōran-bushi”! Speaking of the Shanshan Umbrella Dance, the “Tottori Shanshan Festival” is famous, isn’t it? Some older adults may already be familiar with it.
If you put effort into the costumes as well, it will feel just like being at a festival.
I think it’s a festive act perfectly suited for the New Year, so please give it a try.
It will probably require quite a bit of practice, but it will surely become an unforgettable time for the seniors.
