[For Seniors] Enjoyable Brain Training! Finger Exercises That Help Prevent Dementia
Moving the fingers helps activate the brain, so it’s recommended as a recreational activity for older adults.
Finger exercises can be done while seated, making them safe and easy to start.
There are many ideas—such as doing different movements with each hand or coordinating with songs—so they can be enjoyed according to each person’s physical and mental condition.
Also, by adding ideas like speaking aloud while moving the fingers, you can make the exercises even more enjoyable.
Since these exercises can be done anywhere, they’re also great for filling small pockets of free time.
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[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Introducing Finger Exercises That Help Prevent Dementia (21–30)
Simple finger exercises
This is a brain-training exercise where you count numbers using your fingers held out in front of your body, gradually adding more elements to how you move them.
When you focus on your hands in front of you, it’s easy to slip into a relaxed posture, so it’s important to be mindful about sitting up straight with your back extended.
Start by making the same shape with both hands; once you get used to that, move on to making different shapes, gradually increasing the complexity of how you switch between them.
If you add not only hand shapes but also forward/back and side-to-side movements of the arms, it will further enhance the brain-training effect and help you stay aware of your arm muscles as well.
Moshikame Goo-Paa Hand Play
Let’s do the open-and-close hand exercise along with the children’s song “The Hare and the Tortoise.” When you make a fist, move your thumbs either outside or tucked inside.
Doing it while singing is expected to further stimulate brain activity.
Match the movements to the lyrics: have both thumbs move the same way, or have each thumb move differently.
As you might guess, making them move differently is more challenging.
Once you get used to the thumb movements, give it a try.
It’s said that tasks that feel a bit harder than your usual movements are more effective at activating the brain.
[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Finger Exercises That Help Prevent Dementia (31–40)
What shall we make with rock, scissors, paper?
The “Goo-Choki-Paa de Nani Tsukurou” exercise is a song that many older adults are familiar with.
Those with children may remember singing it to them often.
This hand-play song involves moving your body while singing, which provides good stimulation for the brain.
What’s more, just by combining rock, scissors, and paper in different ways, you can create many variations.
It’s a hand-play song enjoyed by a wide range of ages, from children to seniors, so it might be nice to try it together with your grandchildren.
Goo Choki Paa Laugh-Out-Loud Exercise
Simply doing rock-paper-scissors in the usual way doesn’t really make people laugh, does it? What we’re introducing here is a rock-paper-scissors exercise that’s essential for recreation and guaranteed to spark laughter.
There are methods like doing rock-paper-scissors quickly, or changing the order—such as scissors-paper-rock.
By adding variations, you can give your brain good stimulation and make the exercise more fun.
Another recommendation for older adults is a rock-paper-scissors exercise where you form animals with your fingers as you go.
More important than doing it perfectly is communicating and having fun together.
Finger exercise with rock-paper-scissors (gu-choki-pa)
The rock-paper-scissors hand exercise is highly recommended for preventing dementia in older adults.
It’s a finger exercise we often do without thinking, but many people may not realize that the fingers are directly connected to the brain.
By moving your fingertips a lot, you can activate the brain as well.
The rock-paper-scissors routine we’re introducing this time includes plenty of fun variations, so it’s likely to spark some laughter.
Exercising while having fun is great for building a healthy body.
Let’s laugh from the belly and aim to relieve stress.
Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra finger exercises
When eating, not only mouth movements but also finger movements—like holding chopsticks or bringing food to your mouth—are important.
This is an adaptation that adds finger movements to the Patakara exercise to coordinate the mouth and fingers.
The content is simple: as you pronounce each syllable, fold a finger to count at the same time.
Once you get used to the motions, try changing the finger movements and gradually making them more complex to expect brain-training benefits.
While it’s important to focus on finger movements, it’s also crucial to be mindful that your mouth movements don’t become small.
inchworm
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.
