Lovely senior life

For seniors: Recommended for day services. Hands-on activities that help prevent dementia.

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Worked as a certified care worker for 17 years.Nanaka
I’ve been working as a certified care worker for 17 years. I’m Nanaka, a caregiving web writer. I decided to pursue this profession because I wanted a job that would help people. Having worked in day care for many years, I’ve experienced a wide variety of recreational activities. Exercise set to music, in particular, always created a cheerful atmosphere and was very well received. I’d be delighted to continue delivering writing that resonates with readers through caregiving-related articles. Thank you for your support.

As we age, our muscle strength declines, making fine, hands-on tasks more difficult.

Because the nerves in our hands are connected to the brain, it’s said that moving our hands can help prevent dementia.

In this article, we introduce hands-on recreational activities for day service programs that train both the fingers and the brain.

With a focus on craft-based activities and finger-use games, they also help improve concentration.

Craft activities let participants enjoy the fun of creating, too.

There are many ideas to choose from, so try starting with the hands-on activities you’re most interested in.

[For Seniors] Recommended for Day Service: Hands-on Activities for Dementia Prevention (101–110)

Cutout Art

Day Service Asumiru: Today’s recreation activity is “Stencil Art.”

Cutout Art

It’s an activity where you glue fabric onto a backing board and then overlay a sheet with cut-out shapes to complete a vibrant design.

If you prepare by drawing guide lines on the backing and pre-cutting the fabric into easy-to-apply shapes, the crafting process should go more smoothly.

If you find it boring that everyone ends up with the same design, I recommend adding variations, such as letting participants choose any fabric they like or preparing several different final overlay designs.

Rather than having everyone aim for the same look, encouraging them to think of their own arrangements adds a bit of mental effort and helps stimulate the brain.

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collage (paper collage; cut-and-paste picture)

Collage – Introducing stylish collages using leftover washi paper –

collage (paper collage; cut-and-paste picture)

Paint colors with watercolor on washi paper, cut it into small parts, and build a design by pasting those parts.

By painting various colors on the washi in advance, you get natural gradations within each piece.

The way you apply color and layer the parts differs from person to person, so even when aiming for the same design, individual character comes through—that’s part of the fun.

If you draw guides on the backing sheet and have participants paste the pieces according to those guides, the process should be easier.

Since it involves attaching many small parts, it’s an activity that engages fine motor skills in the fingertips.

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In conclusion

How did you like the ideas for hands-on recreational activities? They’re all simple crafts and games, but in fact they’re great for engaging both the brain and fine motor skills.

Why not give them a try as a way to help prevent dementia? Most of the materials and tools you’ll need are available at 100-yen shops or craft stores, so if you’re missing anything, please stop by and pick it up.