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.
- [For Seniors] Fun Small-Group Recreation
- [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 easy exercises for senior recreation (1–10)
Stepping exercise
While seated in a chair, a simple exercise that even older adults can easily do is marching in place.
Swing your arms briskly and move your legs; adding vocalization also helps train the brain.
Of the three variations, the first is to march while reciting the Japanese syllabary (a-i-u-e-o …) in order.
By speaking slowly to the rhythm of your steps, you can also strengthen your facial muscles.
The second is to march while doing multiplication.
A key point is that you can easily adjust the difficulty just by changing the numbers.
The third is to march while completing prompts or themed tasks.
Try changing the difficulty and making variations to enjoy it as a fun recreational activity!
Fall prevention exercises
A fall-prevention exercise you can do while seated by moving your arms and legs.
Start with slow movements, extending your hands and feet forward, and gradually try exercises with more motion.
Instead of moving your hands and feet simultaneously right away, it’s best to perform each movement carefully one by one.
Once you are used to the basic movements, try making your motions larger and incorporate exercises that use both your arms and legs.
Repeating simple movements to a rhythm can also serve as brain training for older adults.
Consider including this as a recreational activity to help prevent falls and becoming bedridden.
Goo-Paa Exercise
The “Goo-Paa” exercise involves opening and closing your palms and moving your body in various patterns.
Be sure to do a proper warm-up first and start once your body is loosened up.
While repeating the hand motions of making a fist (goo) and opening your hand (paa), move your elbows and legs at the same time.
Exercising to a steady rhythm can also serve as brain training for older adults.
It’s important to challenge yourself even if you can’t perform every movement perfectly.
Since it can be done while sitting in a chair, try incorporating it into recreation activities or morning exercise time.
Recommended easy exercises for seniors’ recreation (11–20)
Clapping Exercise
If you’re looking for a recreation activity that seniors can enjoy with lots of smiles, clapping exercises are recommended.
Have a leader stand where everyone can see and demonstrate the clapping.
The rule is that while the leader is clapping, the seniors clap along together.
For those who find hand clapping difficult, they can keep the rhythm by tapping their thighs instead.
Changing the tempo of the clapping and the reactions when suddenly stopping will liven up the room.
Clapping not only serves as physical exercise but also offers a brain-training element by matching the timing of the claps.
A workout that makes you smile in 15 seconds
A recreational exercise that ends with hearty laughter, incorporating deep breathing and simple movements.
It takes just 15 seconds, so it’s recommended even for those who aren’t confident in their physical strength.
Here’s how to do it: start by exhaling and curling your body forward.
Next, inhale through your nose and straighten up.
At this point, the key is to stretch your whole body fully and relax.
After inhaling, count to three, then exhale while laughing out loud.
It’s an exercise that brings smiles to both the person laughing and those around them.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Exercise
Rock-paper-scissors exercises that let you enjoy recreation while training your brain.
By paying attention to the hand movements of rock, paper, and scissors, you can check your body’s condition and even find opportunities to improve your movements.
Make a point of ensuring you’re striking the correct poses and that your hand movements aren’t mismatched with the verbal cues.
Not only with your hands—doing rock-paper-scissors with your feet turns it into a full-body exercise.
In settings where older adults gather, such as care facilities, try doing rock-paper-scissors together with your friends.
Chair exercises
A chair exercise designed to help maintain leg and hip health, easy for older adults to do.
It’s also recommended for those who don’t move much from their chair or bed.
Loosen up the muscles with toe lifts, marching in place, and knee raises.
You can also try strengthening the thighs—especially the quadriceps—by working the inner, front, and then the entire area in that order.
When you finish all the programs, gently tap your thighs to relax.
Since you don’t need to bring anything, it’s a simple and casual recreational activity you can join anytime.