Recommended recreational activities for older adults with dementia
In senior care facilities and day service centers, there are people with a wide range of needs.
Therefore, it’s important to plan recreational activities that match each older adult’s condition.
This time, we’ll introduce recommended recreational activities for seniors with dementia.
For older adults with dementia, emotional support—such as helping them “feel enjoyment” and “find their place”—is essential.
Activities that are easy to try and encourage interaction among participants are also recommended.
Use this article as a reference when planning recreation for seniors with dementia.
- [For Seniors] Recommended Even for People with Dementia! Simple Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- Recommended recreational activities to help seniors enjoy their time in care facilities
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Indoor Activities! Recreations and Games That Engage the Mind and Body
- Recreation Activities Effective for Long-Term Care Prevention for Seniors
- [Elderly Day Service] Let’s all have fun! Games and recreational activities
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Recommended! Seasonal Recreational Activities
- What does the “a.k.a.” you often see in artist names mean?
- [For Seniors] A Collection of Fun Classic Caregiving Activities
- [For Seniors] Recommended for older adults: enjoyable recreational activities
- [For Seniors] Introducing Recreational Activities Anyone Can Enjoy at Geriatric Health Facilities!
- For Seniors: Enjoy Every Day! A Collection of Senior Recreation Ideas
Recommended Recreational Activities for Older Adults with Dementia (41–50)
Make vine, hang dayflower
One tongue twister used as a brain-training recreation.
You train your brain by reading awkward sentences that rarely appear in everyday life.
“Tsukuru tsurukusa tsurusu tsuyukusa” is also one of the tongue twisters for older adults.
Various images come to mind from the tongue twister.
You might imagine weaving baskets with climbing vines, and hanging spiderwort as decoration.
In hiragana, it’s “tsukuru,” “tsurukusa,” “tsurusu,” and “tsuyukusa.” They all start with “tsu.” In fact, it’s said that many people—not just older adults—find the ta-row sounds that include “tsu” difficult to pronounce.
Ultimate luxury aircraft at a deserted Kyushu airport
The tongue twister “kuukyo na Kyushu kuukou no kyuukyoku koukyuu koukuuki” (empty Kyushu airport’s ultimate luxury aircraft) feels difficult just by looking at it written down.
The sentence is also on the longer side for a tongue twister, and it’s characterized by a mix of hard k sounds and kya-kyu-kyo clusters.
Because of that, it’s said to be hard to say without tripping up.
To be able to say tongue twisters, the key is to be conscious of each word and pronounce every one clearly and distinctly.
By the way, there is no actual airport called “Kyushu Airport.” If you were to use a real airport in a tongue twister, it would be one of the airports in the Kyushu region, such as Kitakyushu Airport.
red paper roll, blue paper roll, yellow paper roll
Tongue twisters often consist of strings of hard-to-pronounce words.
“Aka-makigami ao-makigami ki-makigami” (red scroll paper, blue scroll paper, yellow scroll paper) is also a sequence of tricky words.
By the way, makigami refers to paper made by joining together sheets of hansetsu paper (a tall, narrow paper) side by side to make a long roll.
It’s sold in scroll form.
This tongue twister lines up red, blue, and yellow scroll paper.
It looks easy at first glance, but when you try to say it repeatedly, it becomes hard to pronounce.
As a tip, if you pause slightly between the color names—like red or blue—and the word “makigami,” it should be a bit easier to say.
Try it together with older adults.
I love you after 43 years
43 Years Later, I Love You is a film that portrays an elderly man who lies his way into the same care facility in order to reunite with his former lover.
Because the facility is a place for people with Alzheimer’s, the story emphasizes how he faces a past love who no longer remembers him.
Through the lens of Alzheimer’s disease, the film depicts the preciousness of memory, love, and life, and powerfully conveys the importance of bonds.
It’s a work that also prompts us to look back on the path we’ve walked so far and reflect on the kinds of love and connections we’ve had.
Casual Ball Curling
Curling became well-known through the Winter Olympics, so many of you may already be familiar with it.
It’s a team game where you compete to see which team can get their balls closer to the center ball.
Preparing this recreation is as simple as getting a few balls ready.
That’s all it takes to create a fun activity that helps participants interact more with each other.
Since it can be played while seated, it’s also appealing because it can be enjoyed in a way that suits the physical and mental conditions of older adults.
karaoke
Karaoke is something you can enjoy even in a short bit of free time, and it’s great for relieving stress.
There’s a unique pleasure in singing at the top of your lungs that nothing else can replace.
Solo karaoke is fun, but getting lively with a group also sounds exciting.
Another way to enjoy karaoke is to use a machine with a scoring feature.
It will surely motivate you to go to karaoke.
Plus, since it analyzes your singing voice, it’s perfect for anyone who wants to improve.
Gardening
One hobby that soothes the mind is gardening.
By connecting with nature through gardening, you can forget the hustle and bustle of daily life.
It’s also appealing because you can take your time over a long period, and enjoy a sense of fulfillment when flowers bloom or fruit appears.
Even if you don’t have a yard, you can enjoy it on a balcony or by your front door.
Try it at a scale that suits your living environment.
Another charm is doing it with friends and using it as a great conversation starter.