Recommended simple exercises for recreational activities for the elderly
We’d like to introduce some recommended exercises perfect for recreation at care facilities such as day service centers, or any place where seniors gather!
Many older adults find it difficult to move their legs and lower back freely, and standing can be a challenge.
However, if you avoid moving your body altogether, your mobility may decline further, increasing the risk of falls and becoming bedridden.
In this article, we’ve gathered simple exercises that seniors can do with ease.
Many of them can be done while seated, so be sure to try them with friends around you to help reduce a lack of physical activity!
- For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- Summary of exercises for seniors: introducing preventative care movements by body part.
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- [For Seniors] Simple Rhythm Exercises: Recommended Songs and Routines
- [For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Lively Whiteboard Activities
- [Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- For seniors: Enjoyable stick exercises. Easy workouts.
- [For Seniors] Recreational activities and games that let you have fun while strengthening your legs
- For seniors: Leg-strengthening exercises you can do without overexertion.
- [Today's Recommendation] Gentle Health Exercises for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Fun Exercises You Can Do While Seated
Recommended Exercises for Easy Senior Recreational Activities (111–120)
Energized and lively! Easy-peasy exercises
Older adults often trip while walking because they don’t lift their feet high enough and end up shuffling, causing their toes to catch even on small steps or uneven surfaces.
It’s important to lift the toes, land on the heel, and push off the ground with the foot when walking.
This time, we’re introducing exercises to increase flexibility in the ankles and toes.
Movements such as bending the ankles forward, backward, and side to side, and pointing and lifting the toes while keeping the heels on the floor can all be done while seated, so go at your own pace without overexerting yourself.
Recommended Easy Exercises for Senior Recreation (121–130)
Full-body stretch
Not only do stretches help, but giving yourself a massage can also ease overall tension and promote relaxation.
Even a simple massage where one hand gently strokes the other arm can be expected to improve blood flow.
The post-massage stretches are designed to be done slowly and deliberately, focusing on relaxation with each movement.
The key is to move your body slowly, paying attention not just to the shoulders but also to the lower body, so you can steady your breathing while engaging your whole body effectively.
Inner thigh training
There are also training items designed to strengthen the adductor muscles on the inner thighs.
The most commonly sold type involves placing a V-shaped device between your legs while seated and squeezing it.
Although it doesn’t look like there’s much movement, it provides solid resistance.
Another advantage is that, because the movement is minimal, you can do it while watching TV.
Some items can also be used to train other muscles, so take a look around and compare your options.
Respiratory muscle training
This is a stretching routine that focuses on which muscles you use when breathing and helps you improve so you can breathe more deeply.
By improving breathing, which tends to become shallow with age, it can lead to better blood pressure and blood oxygen levels.
Start by placing your hand on your chest and taking deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth, while paying attention to your breathing and checking how your chest expands as you inhale.
Once you get a feel for deep breathing, incorporate that breath while stretching your neck and shoulders.
As your breathing improves, tense muscles will also loosen, so you can expect a relaxing effect as well.
Let’s make shapes with our feet!
While seated, lift and move your legs, focusing on your leg muscles while also adding a brain-training element.
One leg traces a triangle, and the other moves up and down in time with the rhythm.
A key point is to clearly grasp the difference in counts: one leg completes a cycle in three beats, while the other completes a cycle in two beats.
Once you get used to it, switch legs and keep your attention on how you move them.
If lifting your legs is difficult, you can keep your feet on the floor and draw the shapes there instead.
Thigh exercises
Everyone wants to keep walking on their own feet for as long as possible, right? As we get older, many people may find they stumble more easily or feel unsteady when walking.
For those people, exercises that strengthen the quadriceps are highly recommended.
The quadriceps are the muscles at the front of the thighs, and they’re used when standing up from a chair and when sitting down slowly.
By training the thigh muscles, it becomes easier to lift your feet smoothly and swing your legs forward when walking.
These exercises can be done while sitting in a chair or lying down, so try them in a way that suits your condition.
Stretching while lying down
As we age, our muscles weaken and our bodies become less flexible, which can interfere with daily activities like walking.
By stretching, you can lengthen your muscles and joints and move your body more smoothly.
The stretches introduced here can be done on your bed when you wake up in the morning or before going to sleep after a bath, so try starting gently without overexerting yourself.
After a bath, your body is warm, blood flow is improved, and your muscles relax more easily, making stretching even more effective.
It’s also recommended to stretch while breathing slowly and deeply.
It’s similar to yoga.