![[For Seniors] Enjoy a Warm Spring! April Health Topics Roundup](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/1x2rt90e6H8/maxresdefault.webp)
[For Seniors] Enjoy a Warm Spring! April Health Topics Roundup
As we enter April, the temperature is gradually getting warmer.
Perhaps more older adults are becoming active, too.
However, suddenly increasing activity can raise the risk of falls and be dangerous.
It’s best not to overdo it and to start moving your body little by little.
Some staff members may also be looking for recreational activities that are safe and enjoyable.
In this article, we’ll introduce recreational activities that older adults can do with peace of mind.
We’ve included spring-themed singing exercises, games, and brain-training activities, so please use them as a reference!
[For Seniors] Enjoy the Warm Spring! April Health Topics Roundup (1–10)
Chair exercises in April
As the warm weather sets in, many older adults may feel like moving their bodies and becoming more active.
This time, we’re introducing chair exercises themed around April that you can do indoors.
While seated, reach your hands forward as if you’re catching cherry blossom petals.
We’ll also do some brain training that recalls food stalls at cherry blossom festivals, along with exercises to strengthen your muscles.
By doing exercises and brain training related to April, older adults can get a sense of the season.
And because these exercises are done while sitting in a chair, many older adults can take part.
Bamboo Shoot Digging Game
Bamboo shoots are one of spring’s seasonal flavors.
Some older adults may even have gone out to dig them.
Here’s a perfect springtime bamboo shoot–digging game.
All you need are two things: newspaper and paper cups! Roll up the newspaper to make a stick, then attach a paper cup to the end.
Set more paper cups on a table to represent bamboo shoots, and you’re ready to go.
Drawing or sticking illustrations on the cups adds to the atmosphere.
Cover the “bamboo shoots” with the stick’s cup, and you’ll be able to pick them up surprisingly easily.
Set rules like “first to get five wins” to make it more exciting.
It’s also great exercise for the arms, elbows, and shoulders while having fun, so it’s recommended for senior care facilities as well.
Goldfish Game
At festival stalls, there’s usually a goldfish scooping game, right? Besides scooping, here’s a fun game that uses goldfish as the theme.
Two people hold the ends of a face towel, and place a goldfish plushie or a crafted goldfish on the towel.
While shaking the towel, they toss the goldfish into a basket that’s been set up in advance.
Assign points based on the size of the basket and the distance to the basket.
This innovative goldfish game should be enjoyable for older adults as well.
It also seems like it would be exciting to play as teams.
Balloon holder bag with a string
Here’s a string-and-balloon game that’s sure to liven up spring events and gatherings.
Have several older adults sit in chairs facing each other, each holding one end of a string so that paired participants are connected and keep the string taut.
By moving the string up and down or sliding it side to side, they work together to carry a balloon to the goal.
Cooperation is key in this game.
Because participants call out to each other as they play, it naturally encourages communication as well.
Soran-bushi exercise
Many older adults may be familiar with the Soran Bushi, don’t you think? I’ve heard it’s sometimes performed at school sports days.
Just hearing the rhythm and calls of Soran Bushi can make you feel energized.
Let’s try some exercises to the spirited rhythm of Soran Bushi.
Move your body by extending your hands forward or raising them overhead like a banzai cheer.
It can be done while seated, so many older adults should be able to take part.
If it’s a song they know, older adults will likely enjoy doing the exercises comfortably.
Exercises related to spring
Did you know that people with declining cognitive function often show signs such as lower leg muscle mass, fewer red blood cells, and reduced agility? This time, we’ll introduce exercises with a spring-themed twist that can help address these issues.
The flutter-and-stop hand movement trains agility, and the leg-raising movement strengthens everything from the legs to the abdominal muscles.
Using onomatopoeia—like “pika-pika” (sparkling) for a shiny entrance ceremony and “goku-goku” (gulping) for cherry-blossom viewing—stimulates brain activity, and expressing them with the body adds exercise benefits.
The content is bound to make you chuckle whether you do it or watch it, making it perfect for recreational activities in senior care facilities.
Brain-training exercises that make you laugh
The Nikko Kaido is a famous cherry blossom spot in Tochigi Prefecture.
Some older adults may have visited the Nikko Kaido to see the blossoms.
At the end of the Nikko Kaido is Nikko Toshogu Shrine, which is also known for the Three Wise Monkeys.
Let’s strike poses with our hands to match the Three Monkeys—see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
When the cues are called—see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil—use your hands to cover your eyes, ears, or mouth.
If you call out “see no evil” but then cover your ears as a trick, it livens things up.
You can also increase the difficulty by, for example, adding a single clap when “see no evil” is called.
As older adults get used to it, gradually raise the difficulty and encourage them to keep challenging themselves.