[For Seniors] Recommended! Seasonal Recreational Activities
The recreational activities offered at facilities have various benefits, including invigorating the mind, body, and brain, and improving quality of life.
Because they often involve interacting with others, they also naturally encourage communication.
By incorporating a sense of the seasons into recreation, older adults can lead even more fulfilling daily lives.
So this time, we’re introducing seasonal-themed recreational activities.
For older adults who may find it difficult to sense the passage of time, seasonal recreation can help them become more aware of time.
It also allows those who have trouble going out to feel the seasons, providing positive stimulation to break up the monotony of spending most days indoors.
We hope this helps make each day more enjoyable.
- [For Seniors] Fun Winter Activities: Recreation and Games
- [For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games
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- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [Elderly Day Service] Let’s all have fun! Games and recreational activities
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- [For Seniors] Recreations to Experience in August
- [For Seniors] Liven Up Cherry-Blossom Viewing! Fun Games and Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Fun! Games and Ideas to Boost Memory
- Recommended recreational activities to help seniors enjoy their time in care facilities
- For Seniors: Games and Recreational Activities to Enjoy in April
- Recommended fun performances that will appeal to elderly people
Spring Recreation (21–30)
Caregiving Exercise “Tea Picking”
Hachijūhachi-ya refers to the 88th day counting from Risshun (the first day of spring in the traditional calendar).
Since ancient times, it has been used as a guideline for starting agricultural work such as tea picking and rice planting.
This time, we will introduce an exercise set to the music of “Chatumi” (Tea Picking).
First, let’s check your body movements as a warm-up.
The motions follow the lyrics, so they’re easy to remember.
If you do it to the music, don’t forget the rhythmic claps at key points.
At first, you may find yourself focused on the movements, but once you get used to them, you can enjoy various variations, such as changing the tempo or doing it while singing.
Performing multiple activities at the same time—moving your body while thinking and singing—can also be expected to have brain-training benefits, making it recommended as a recreational activity in senior care facilities.
Mother’s Day event
Mother’s Day.
It can feel a bit embarrassing to say it outright, but this is a great opportunity to express your gratitude to your mom.
Set a festive mood with a floral arrangement on the table and let her enjoy cake in style.
Prepare a dinner that’s a little more sophisticated than usual, too.
Experiencing something out of the ordinary not only provides beneficial stimulation to help prevent cognitive decline, but will also become a lovely memory.
And of course, don’t forget the carnations.
When you give the gift, be sure to take a commemorative photo together.
She’s sure to be delighted.
Foot bath with iris-infused water
While Tango no Sekku is known as Children’s Day, its original meaning—warding off evil and praying for good health—brings blessings to everyone.
So today, we’d like to introduce a foot bath using sweet flag (shobu).
All you need is a large container, hot water, and shobu.
That’s it.
Fill the container with hot water and float the shobu on top.
Since the leaves could potentially irritate the skin, chopping them into small pieces and placing them in a mesh bag allows you to enjoy it safely.
The expected benefits include promoting circulation, relieving fatigue, strengthening the internal organs, easing sensitivity to cold, and alleviating stiff shoulders, making it especially pleasing for older adults.
You can find shobu at supermarkets or florists, so please give it a try.
Rose Apple Cake
Roses have varieties that reach their peak from May to June.
Among seniors who enjoy gardening, some may also love roses, right? Here’s a May-recommended apple cake that resembles a rose.
Place thinly sliced apples with butter and cinnamon into a heatproof dish and microwave them.
Then line the warmed apple slices along the edge of a strip of puff pastry.
Once they’re all arranged, roll up the pastry.
It will look like a blooming rose.
Bake in the oven to finish.
This apple cake, which looks like a real rose, seems like something seniors would enjoy both making and eating.
Koinobori Castella
Here’s a dessert idea: carp-shaped koinobori made with castella cake.
Store-bought castella is usually rectangular.
Slice the rectangle into narrower pieces, then cut one end into a triangle to create a koinobori shape.
Use your favorite fruits to make the scales, and add facial features with jam or a chocolate pen.
It’s easy to make, so bringing a homemade dessert along for a walk with an elderly person is also recommended.
With a delicious treat and pleasant conversation, you’re sure to enjoy a lovely spring day.
Koinobori Soufflé Cheesecake
Let us introduce a souffle cheesecake that captures the spirit of May, decorated like a koi nobori (carp streamer).
The ingredients are cream cheese, eggs, and granulated sugar—another nice point is that you only need a few items! Put the cream cheese in a bowl and mix it with the egg yolks.
Start mixing with a spatula, then finish by whisking thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, combine the egg whites with the granulated sugar to make a meringue.
Add the meringue little by little to the cream cheese mixture, gently folding from the bottom with a cutting motion.
Fold one end of a rectangular aluminum cup to create the tail of the koi nobori.
Pour in the batter and steam-bake it in the oven, then use a chocolate pen to draw the eyes and scales to finish.
It’s sure to be a hit if you make it at home with your grandchildren.
Spring-searching walk recreation
To truly feel the changing seasons, the best thing is to look around outside—you can clearly sense temperature shifts from nature itself.
This recreation incorporates relaxation by encouraging participants to search for seasonal elements during a walk.
Rather than focusing on the game-like aspects, it’s more important to experience the season: have participants carefully scan the surroundings for things unique to that time of year.
Let them relax by connecting with nature, and enjoy the activity with an eye on their concentration as they observe their environment closely.
