[For Seniors] Enjoyable Brain Training! Finger Exercises That Help Prevent Dementia

inchworm

Inchworm: From “Keep Your Brain Lively! Hand and Finger Play”

Let’s try to recreate the inchworm’s unique movement—shrinking and stretching as it goes—using just your fingertips! You’ll only use your thumbs and index fingers.

Press the two fingers of both hands together to form a triangle—that’s your starting position.

Touch your right thumb to the point where the index fingers meet, move your right index finger forward, then bring your left index finger up to meet the advanced right index finger and slide your left thumb there as well.

Continue sending your fingers forward in this order.

At first, go step by step while thinking it through; once you get the hang of it, try moving rhythmically to music.

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yuri

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Goo-Paa Exercise

[Exercise for Seniors: Open-and-Close (Goo-Paa) Routine] Dr. Arai’s Rock-Paper-Scissors Exercise — Recommended for brain training, dementia prevention, and care prevention. Please use it in care settings such as day-service centers. by FUKUKURU

The Goo-Pa exercise is an easy activity you can enjoy even while seated.

Movements that use the fingers help improve coordination between the brain and the hands.

It can also help prevent dementia among older adults, so it’s highly recommended.

The rhythmic motions promote overall blood circulation and can have a relaxing effect.

Enjoying it together with other participants can deepen communication as well.

It helps maintain dexterity in daily life and, overall, I think it’s a wonderful recreational activity that supports both mental and physical health.

Simple finger exercises

Finger Exercises for Seniors 2021 - Teacher Gobō

Let’s do a finger exercise while counting with both hands.

For 1 to 10, simply spread one finger at a time as you count.

From 11 onward, use one hand to show the tens digit and the other hand to increase the ones.

From 16, it gets trickier because the same hand has to show both the tens and continue forming the ones, so the difficulty goes up! Keep counting the same way past 20, and try going up to around 30.

Besides counting up in order, it’s also great to practice decreasing the numbers while keeping the same hand movements.

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SAKI

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Song Exercise

Singing Brain-Training Exercise for Seniors: Day Service, Simple Health Exercises

This song exercise features only songs recommended for winter.

Snow, Campfire, and North Wind Boy Kantarō—aren’t they all nostalgic tunes you heard as a child? Here we introduce a Goo-Choki-Paa exercise you can do while singing these popular children’s songs.

It can be done seated, so it’s reassuring from a safety standpoint for older adults.

Since many movements involve using both the upper and lower body, it helps strengthen you both physically and mentally.

You can also express actions like opening and closing your hands with your fingertips, which should provide good stimulation for the brain.

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Nanaka

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Finger exercises with kayōkyoku (Japanese pop songs)

Finger exercises for brain training with 'Tokyo Boogie-Woogie' @cuore-libero

The Goo-Choki-Paa (Rock-Paper-Scissors) exercise set to kayōkyoku is highly recommended for older adults.

You can enjoy exercising to nostalgic songs like Keisuke Kuwata’s “Ashita Hareru Kana” and The Peanuts’ “Koi no Vacance.” Keep the rhythm with “goo” and “paa,” spreading your fingers wide on “paa.” Moving your hands and fingers while singing can also provide beneficial stimulation for the brain.

It’s done seated, so it’s considerate of safety as well.

Choose your favorite kayōkyoku songs and keep at it daily to support both physical and mental health.