Recreation Activities Effective for Long-Term Care Prevention for Seniors
This article introduces recommended recreational activities for preventing the need for long-term care.
We’ve gathered a wide range of options, including exercises and games that move the hands and feet, as well as quizzes that engage the mind.
Doing recreational activities is effective for physical rehabilitation and dementia prevention.
You can also expect benefits like increased appetite and improved sleep quality as your activity level rises.
It’s also a great opportunity to interact with other older adults who are participating.
Please use this article as a reference and enjoyably put it to use for care prevention.
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[For Older Adults] Recreational Activities Effective for Preventing the Need for Care (91–100)
Ojami Wobble Game
Many older adults have probably played otedama (beanbag juggling) before, right? Some may have even skillfully used their hands and fingers to juggle two or three beanbags in the air.
Let’s play a fun game that uses familiar otedama to work the fingertips.
Place a paper plate on top of a short piece of a cut plastic wrap or foil core.
Then, place the beanbags on the paper plate one by one.
Since the paper plate is unstable, it wobbles each time you add a beanbag, creating a thrilling, heart-pounding effect.
It seems like older adults can enjoy a bit of tension while engaging in the game.
By the way, “ojami” is what otedama is called in the Kansai region.
A simple activity using ohajiki (small traditional Japanese game pieces)
Some older adults may have played ohajiki when they were young or with their children.
Here are some simple recreational activities you can do with ohajiki.
Beyond lining them up on a table or floor and flicking one with your finger to hit another, there are many ways to play.
For example, you can play a curling-like game by flicking ohajiki onto a sheet with a circle and point values, or stack the pieces upward.
With a bit of creativity, it seems there are plenty of ways to enjoy ohajiki.
In addition to using your fingertips, these games can help improve concentration and promote communication.
[For Seniors] Recreational Activities Effective for Preventive Care (101–110)
Othello
Move the Othello discs with your hands and keep those fingers active.
Othello has simple rules, so many older adults are probably familiar with it.
Through the game, you’ll pick up the discs with your fingers and move them around.
Just moving your fingertips alone can help stimulate the brain.
But Othello isn’t only about finger movement, is it? You also think things like, “What will happen if I place it there?” or “How can I prevent them from taking the corner?” You take on the game while thinking.
Advancing the game while considering your opponent is said to be good brain training as well.
With seated Othello, many seniors can engage in it and have fun at the same time.
Wobbly Cap Game
As we age, the dexterity of our fingertips declines.
In fact, it’s said that more than half of the brain’s regions are involved in moving the hands and processing sensation.
As a result, with aging, the commands from the brain to the hands and fingers can become sluggish and don’t transmit as smoothly.
Finger exercises can help your hands and fingers move more smoothly.
So let’s train our fingertips with a game that uses an empty plastic bottle.
Cut the bottle so that about the top half from the mouth remains.
Cover the cut edge with vinyl tape to finish.
Place the bottle upright with the capped mouth facing down, and put a bottle cap inside.
A game where you try to drop the cap into a wobbling, swaying bottle seems like something everyone can enjoy together with lots of laughs.
Super Ball Relay
Introducing the Super Ball Relay, a game that can be enjoyed by small groups to large gatherings.
All you need are paper cups and super balls.
Participants sit in a circle or around a table, each holding a paper cup.
Place a super ball in the first person’s cup, then pass the ball to the next person using the cups.
The goal is to pass it all the way to the last person.
Predicting the ball’s movement and tilting the cup accordingly, as well as figuring out how to receive the super ball, provides great stimulation for the brain.
You can also vary the fun by racing for speed or increasing the number of super balls.
Activities of daily living with a towel
Let’s try training activities of daily living using a towel.
Activities of daily living (ADL) refer to the minimum actions needed to maintain everyday life and serve as an index for assessing one’s ability to function.
When ADL declines, it can lead to deteriorating physical health and loss of independence.
We’ll do easy exercises using a towel.
Use your fingers to fold the towel into a small square, and perform movements that mimic washing your upper body, feet, and back to build muscle strength.
These exercises may also help stimulate brain activity.
Balance game
Using your fingertips while also using your head for balance—here’s a balance game to try.
All you need is a helmet, a tray, and beanbags.
You can substitute the helmet with something else.
Place the tray on top of the helmet, then put the beanbags on the tray.
The key is to keep an eye on the overall balance so it doesn’t tip to one side.
Decide whether to place each beanbag slowly or quickly and where exactly to put it.
This engages the upper limbs from fingertips to shoulders, and the brain’s decision-making processes, making it a promising brain-training activity to help prevent cognitive decline.
It’s simple, yet the setup changes every time, so you can enjoy it without getting bored.