[For Seniors] Perfect Brain Training! Fun Trivia

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Care Worker Initial Training Certification ObtainedNakajima Junko
Leveraging my experience working as a care worker at a day service, I am currently active as a writer in the caregiving and welfare fields. Beyond writing, I hope to expand my work into web design and illustration. I am a mother of three who has begun studying to become a certified social worker.

When working at a senior care facility, you may sometimes need to come up with recreation activities or topics for conversations with older adults.

Do you ever struggle with ending up with similar recreation activities all the time or having the same conversations over and over?

So this time, we’ll introduce some fun trivia for older adults that can liven things up.

As people age and accumulate abundant knowledge and experience, they tend to have fewer opportunities to encounter new things and information.

However, incorporating new information such as trivia can evoke surprise and enjoyment, which is said to stimulate the brain.

After a long time, discovering something new and fun can make them want to share it with other seniors or their family members.

Trivia also helps promote communication by encouraging conversations with others.

[For Seniors] Perfect for Brain Training! Exciting Trivia (41–50)

In sukiyaki, which ingredient is considered better not to place next to the meat?

A quiz many people might already know! In sukiyaki, which ingredient is said to be better not placed next to the meat? Here’s a bit of trivia for you.

The correct answer is shirataki (konjac noodles).

Shirataki contains calcium, and when it comes into contact with protein, heat coagulation occurs, which causes the meat to toughen more quickly.

Some of you may have unknowingly placed them side by side in the pot.

To enjoy delicious, tender meat, it’s important to be a little mindful of how you arrange the ingredients.

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[For Seniors] Perfect for Brain Training! Exciting Trivia (51–60)

Nara Park is famous for its deer. How do you think they count the number of deer?

Many of you have probably had the experience of feeding rice crackers to deer while traveling! Here’s a fun bit of trivia: Nara Park, famous for its deer—how do they count the number of deer there? Nara Park is one of the city’s signature sightseeing spots, and some of you may have visited on a trip.

The idea of counting all the deer living there sounds overwhelming, so how do they do it…? The answer is: by visual headcount.

It’s the kind of trivia that makes you exclaim, “What?!”

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Japan’s first moving walkway debuted in 1967 (Showa 42). Do you know where it made its first appearance?

Moving walkways found in airports and large train stations look like escalators, but instead of taking you up or down a floor, they carry you straight ahead.

They’re faster than walking and let you glide smoothly to your destination, making them very convenient.

So, where did moving walkways first appear in Japan? Here’s a hint: it’s in Kansai, in a place known for people who are often in a hurry.

The answer is Osaka! The first one was installed at Hankyu Umeda Station.

At the time, the station was undergoing expansion, and the walkway was built to improve access from platform to platform.

By the way, you often see people walking on moving walkways, but it’s dangerous, so once you step on, stand still and ride it to your destination.

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SAKI

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What is the fire called that is burned when sending ancestors back on August 16?

During Obon, there is a custom of burning ogara (hemp stalks).

On the first day, August 13, they are burned as a guide for the ancestors.

This is called mukaebi, or “welcoming fire.” Do you know what the fire burned on August 16, at the end of Obon, to send the ancestors back is called? The answer is okuribi, or “sending-off fire.” It may feel a little sad—after all, they’ve just come back—but let’s see them off properly.

The time for lighting the sending-off fire varies by region, but it is generally done in the evening.

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sasashina

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How many days are there in a leap year?

366 days
364 days

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366 days

A leap year comes around once every four years. In an ordinary year, February ends on the 28th, but only in a leap year does February 29th exist. Since that year has one extra day, the answer is 366 days. You might be momentarily confused—Which is it?—but if you think about it carefully, it makes sense!

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utatane

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“Bow-wow” represents the sound made by a dog in English. What animal is it?

How animals’ sounds are represented varies from country to country.

Among them, which animal is expressed with the sound “bow-wow” in English? Even if you’re not familiar with “bow-wow,” it’s such a classic animal that you’d quickly get the answer just by listing animals one by one.

The answer is “dog.” If you also look into how other animals’ sounds are expressed in English, and how they change in languages other than English, you’ll deepen your knowledge—and it might make for a lively conversation, too.

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kappamaki

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“Nimaime” is a term originating from Kabuki that refers to a gentle, handsome man. What kind of role does “Gomaime” refer to?

Have you ever heard the term “nimaime” actor? It actually comes from kabuki and refers to a seductive or handsome actor.

Here’s a question: what kind of actor does “gomaime” refer to? The correct answer is the protagonist’s rival.

By the way, “ichimaime” is the protagonist, “sanmaime” is the comic relief, and “yonmaime” is a mid-ranking actor.

And furthermore, “rokumaime” is the likable antagonist, while “nanamaime” is the mastermind who commits misdeeds.

It might be fun to think about who’s which ‘-maime’ when you watch dramas or movies.

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yamamoto

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