Recommended recreational activities for older adults with dementia

Cognicise with ‘Moshi Moshi Kame yo’

[Brain Training Singing Exercise] Hilarious Hand-and-Foot Mix-up with “Moshimo Shikame-san”!

Here’s an exercise that gets even more exciting when done with several people.

It’s a cognicise routine set to the children’s song “The Rabbit and the Turtle,” which sings about the race between the rabbit and the turtle.

As the song plays, add marching, arm stretches, and hand claps.

Once you get the hang of the moves, try exercising while singing along.

Even if you make mistakes, the bright melody turns them into laughs.

In fact, striving to master the moves, rather than already being able to do them, helps activate the brain.

Don’t worry about mistakes—give it a try! You can also have fun by adding various other movements.

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Word search with lyrics about Mt. Fuji

Word search game #shorts #dayservice #nursingcare #Aizen-en

Let’s enjoy some brain training using familiar children’s songs! This time, we’ll use the lyrics of “Mount Fuji.” We’ll make a fill-in-the-blank activity with parts of the lyrics missing, and have participants think about what words go there.

Instead of just recalling the lyrics, they will search for words from prepared letter cards and assemble them.

Finding the correct answer gives a real sense of accomplishment.

Using well-known songs familiar to seniors makes the activity approachable and can also lead into singing.

It’s a fun way to help prevent cognitive decline, so it’s recommended as a recreation activity in senior care facilities.

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Word Search: Fruits Edition

[Brain Training & Early Learning] Word Search: Fruits Edition – 7 Questions in Total

Amid the letters scattered across a 6-by-6 grid, there are hidden names of fruits.

The names can be arranged in three ways—vertically, horizontally, and diagonally—and some words must be read from right to left or bottom to top, so read carefully to find the correct combinations.

Each puzzle has a time limit, which can make you feel rushed, but it’s important to stay calm.

The difficulty is a bit high, but you can try as many times as you need until you find them.

In addition to concentration, this also develops thinking skills and word retrieval, and may help prevent cognitive decline.

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Finger exercises with rock, scissors, paper

[Senior Recreation] Create Laughter with Rock-Paper-Scissors Finger Exercises

When deciding something, people sometimes use rock-paper-scissors, right? Older adults, too, have probably made decisions that way at some point.

In rock-paper-scissors, you make rock, scissors, and paper with your hands.

These rock, scissors, and paper shapes are actually effective for hand and finger training.

What’s more, moving your fingers can also provide brain-training benefits.

Many senior and welfare facilities likely include finger exercises in their daily routines.

Once you get used to it, try gradually increasing the speed or doing rock-paper-scissors to the tune of a nursery rhyme.

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Dual-task exercises

Let's try the 'Clear Your Head' dual-task exercise!

Performing two actions at the same time is called a “dual task.” For example, cooking while watching TV or taking notes while talking on the phone.

When you perform two actions simultaneously, various areas of the brain become activated to organize the information needed for each action.

This time, we will introduce exercises that intentionally incorporate dual tasks by combining multiple movements.

By stimulating the brain, these exercises may help prevent cognitive decline.

They can be done either standing or sitting, making them a great option for recreational activities in senior care facilities.

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Ping-Pong Ball Cup-In Game

Day service recreation: ping-pong ball cup-in indoor game

Here’s an easy, fun table game.

Place paper or plastic cups on a table.

Then have the older adults who are seated try to get a ping-pong ball into the cups.

They can throw the ball or bounce it—either is fine.

It’s also nice to think about different ways to get the ball into the cup and approach it like a game.

Grasping the ping-pong ball may help train finger strength as well.

It’s a simple game, but it’s delightful when the ball lands in a cup, and it can be refreshing, too.

Please give it a try!

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A simple activity using ohajiki (small traditional Japanese game pieces)

[Elderly Recreation] A Big Hit!? Simple Recreation Using Ohajiki (Marbles) [Traditional Games, Reminiscence Therapy, Day Service Activities, Preventive Care]

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.

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