Recommended fun performances that will appeal to elderly people
At day service centers and residential facilities where many older adults gather, seasonal events are often held.
Some staff members may be wondering what kind of performances will delight the seniors at these times.
In this article, we introduce easy-to-implement entertainment ideas and games.
We’ve picked out performances that staff can present, as well as activities that seniors can join in together.
Let’s aim for a crowd-pleasing event that everyone can enjoy and get the excitement going!
- [For Seniors] Guaranteed to Liven Things Up! A Collection of Brain Training Activities That Will Spark Laughter
- Entertainment and Performances That Delight at Day Services for the Elderly
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Staff at Elderly Care Facilities] Simple Performances to Liven Up a Year-End Party
- [Respect-for-the-Aged Day Celebration] Crowd-Pleasing Performances: Ideas That Staff Can Enjoy Too
- For Seniors: Fun Entertainment That Excites at Nursing Homes
- [For Seniors] Lively! Entertainment Ideas for New Year’s Parties
- Performances to Liven Up New Year Parties for Elderly Care Facility Staff
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
- Entertainment ideas for year-end parties that seniors will enjoy
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- For seniors: Simple and exciting! Ideas for staff performances
- [For Seniors] Fun and Lively! Recommended Quiz Questions
Fun performance ideas that are popular with seniors (ages 71–80)
Table hockey
Introducing table hockey, a game that’s a blast whether you’re playing with a small group or a larger one.
Since you play seated, anyone can join in.
Cover the table so the ball won’t fall off anywhere except from the two ends.
Make strikers out of cardboard, place the ball in the center of the table, and you’re ready to go! Play to five points—the winner is the one who sends the ball off the opponent’s end of the table.
It’s fun while also helping to build arm strength, reaction speed, and decision-making, so it can be used as an occupational therapy activity as well.
Give it a try!
disk hit
Let us introduce Disk Hit, a game you can enjoy using paper plates and paper cups.
Use empty milk or juice cartons as pins and throw paper plates like a flying disc.
Each person throws seven plates, and you compete by the number of pins you knock down.
It’s fun for individuals or groups, and it can be played either sitting or standing, so anyone can join.
Throwing paper plates engages everything from the shoulders to the fingertips, making it a functional exercise while you play.
It’s highly game-like and exciting, so it’s also recommended as a recreation activity for senior care facilities.
High touch rec
A high five is when two people clap each other’s hands, often when greeting brightly or feeling happy.
Let’s turn this high five into a recreation activity that seniors can enjoy.
Have everyone sit in a circle on chairs and high-five the person next to them.
Try high-fiving with just one hand, or flip the hands over to change the palm orientation as you go.
Make the seated circle smaller so people can reach to tap someone’s hand, or do double high fives with both hands.
Thinking about who has a free hand and counting to ten while high-fiving can also help train the brain.
It’s an activity that may spark conversations with people who don’t usually talk and broaden communication.
Recommended fun performances that will appeal to seniors (ages 81–90)
How to Choose a Happy Ending
While dealing with weighty themes such as end-of-life care and death with dignity, the film The Farewell Party is filled with humor and warmth.
An invention-loving elderly man creates a device for a friend, which leads to unforeseen consequences and develops into a story where he begins to contemplate his own ending.
Although the subject—the way each person’s life ends—is heavy, the humorous touch conveys a sense of hope about living life happily.
It’s a work that offers a chance to spend the final chapter of life with joy, even when one might otherwise view it pessimistically.
Balloon Fight
Raising and lowering your arms isn’t something we do very often in daily life, but it’s essential for activities like getting dressed and cleaning.
This time, we’re introducing Balloon Fight, a game that lets you train your arms while having fun.
Hang a net from the ceiling and line up balloons of various sizes.
Form teams of three, and within a 30-second time limit, compete to see how many balloons you can knock down using fans.
You can make the game more engaging by changing the points based on the size of the balloons that are knocked down.
Give it a try!
Pikagoro
As we age, it’s said that handling multiple tasks at the same time becomes more difficult.
Using both the mind and body has brain-training benefits, and if you move your body while thinking, you can expect even greater brain activation.
This time, I’ll introduce the Pika-Goro game.
Have the older adults sit facing each other, each holding two sticks.
The caller says “pika-pika” or “goro-goro.” On the cue “dokan,” the older adults should both grip the sticks and raise them.
Once everyone gets used to it, calling out “pika-pika” or “goro-goro” several times and then feinting can make it even more exciting.
Ball-Picking Game
When April comes, the weather becomes mild and there are more pleasantly warm days, don’t you think? It’s also a time when it’s easier to move your body, so why not have some fun with a simple game? Here’s a ball-collecting game that uses lots of balls.
Roll many balls across a table toward older adults seated in chairs.
The seated participants holding containers will pick up the balls as they roll toward them.
Since it can be done while seated, it’s accessible for those who have difficulty standing or for older adults who use wheelchairs.