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[Care Facility] Exercise activities everyone can enjoy: improve physical function, relieve stress, and help prevent dementia
Because exercise activities are a staple in care facilities, it can be hard to decide what content to include.
In this article, we introduce a variety of exercises that involve moving the body to familiar music for older adults, using props, and incorporating brain-training elements.
All activities can be enjoyed safely while seated, making them accessible to everyone and full of ideas that promote mental and physical refreshment and help maintain health.
Please make use of these ideas when planning exercise activities that older adults can enjoy comfortably and without strain!
[Care Facility] Exercise activities everyone can enjoy: improve physical function, relieve stress, and help prevent dementia (1–10)
Goo-Paa ExerciseNEW!
A note about everyday movements.
Most of the times people extend their arms, it’s to grab something, so opening the hand wide pairs well with extending the arm.
Conversely, extending the arm in order to make a fist is something you hardly ever do in daily life, so unless you’re quite intentional about the movement, it’s hard to do well.
It’s just an exercise of making a fist and opening your hand, but depending on the combinations, it can be challenging even for younger people.
And if you combine it with stepping or other leg movements, it might even be for advanced practitioners.
Try enjoying it to your favorite music so it doesn’t become monotonous.
Towel exercisesNEW!
Something found in every home and every senior facility, and used every day—yes, a towel.
Let’s try some easy exercises using a towel.
First, hold it with both hands and raise it overhead—you can really feel your shoulders and back stretch.
Holding it behind your back and doing a scrubbing motion like washing your back in the bath is also great for loosening the muscles around the shoulder blades.
If you’re still feeling spry, loop the towel around the soles of your feet to straighten your legs, or use it to stretch your arm muscles.
Try different sizes and weights—hand towels, bath towels, and more!
Dual-task exercisesNEW!
Here’s an exercise that’s perfect for preventing dementia.
“Dual-task” means performing two tasks at the same time.
In this exercise, you move your arms and legs simultaneously to a rhythm.
While marching in place, clap your hands to a 1–4 count.
Raise your right arm on counts 5–6, and your left arm on counts 7–8.
If the rhythm feels too fast or difficult, slow down the pace.
If there’s any risk of falling, do the exercise while seated.
Simple movements are fine, so feel free to try your own variations.
Ball exercisesNEW!
Doesn’t the mere word “ball” bring back memories—like the rubber balls you played with as a child or the volleyball you were passionate about when you were younger? I still love basketball, so when I hear “ball,” the first thing that comes to mind is a basketball.
Here, we’ll use a ball that’s a bit smaller than a relatively soft volleyball.
The exercises are simple: squeeze the ball between both hands, or hold it between your hands and twist your body left and right.
Just touching the ball can somehow make you feel good.
Try incorporating unusual movements too, like holding the ball behind your back or sandwiching it between your back and a chair.
radio calisthenicsNEW!
One of the memories of summer vacation is radio calisthenics.
You may even fondly remember grumbling, “It’s my precious summer break—I want to sleep in, so why do I have to get up early and do radio exercises?” At the small neighborhood factory, they do radio calisthenics every morning.
I guess radio calisthenics really is good for the body.
There’s even a version you can do seated, not just standing.
It’s recommended for people who use wheelchairs and tend to lack exercise.
Do it with a smile!
Rhythm & Brain-Training ExerciseNEW!
https://www.tiktok.com/@q.vbi9eyls/video/7618805120284822806Set red, yellow, and blue papers at your feet, and step on them in time with the rhythm and the instructions.
This exercise is done while clapping, so keep the beat with your hands and move your feet as directed.
The person giving instructions should hold three colored cards so the directions are clear visually as well as verbally.
Older adults should first confirm the positions of the colors carefully before giving it a try.
This exercise is perfect brain training that uses not only your hands and feet but also your head.
Please enjoy it together as a way to help prevent dementia.
Oral exercises: Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra exercisesNEW!
As we get older, not only the muscles in our legs and arms but also the muscles of the face and throat gradually weaken.
To help prevent slurred speech and reduced swallowing strength, this “Ba-Ta-Ka-Ra Exercise” is recommended.
When you hear about measures to prevent aging of the facial and throat muscles, you might think, “Do you only train the face and throat?” In fact, you carefully loosen the head, shoulders, back, and arms as well.
A simple tongue-circling exercise inside the mouth is also easy and very effective.
And the pronunciation practice of “Ba-Ta-Ka-Ra,” which gave the exercise its name, will surely be fun when everyone does it together!