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[Brain Training for Seniors] Recommended Hand-Play Recreation for Dementia Prevention
Fingerplay recreation that also helps prevent dementia.
Because it can be done while seated, it’s easy for older adults who have difficulty standing or walking to participate, and it’s offered in many senior care facilities.
That said, it’s tough for staff to plan activities by choosing from the many different fingerplay options, isn’t it?
So this time, we’re introducing recommended fingerplay recreation activities that can also help prevent dementia.
We’ve gathered a wide variety—from simple fingertip exercises to activities that involve moving the hands while singing, which can also help strengthen the muscles used for speech.
The fingertips are so rich in nerves that they’re often called the “second brain.”
Let’s have fun together while moving our fingertips and hands a lot to activate the brain!
[Brain Training for Seniors] Recommended for Dementia Prevention! Hand Play Recreational Activities (1–10)
1-minute grip strength trainingNEW!
If you want to efficiently strengthen your grip in a short time, try training that moves each finger joint in sequence.
First, check your current grip strength.
Next, bend only the base joints of your fingers, then the middle joints, then the fingertip joints in order, and finally make a firm fist with your whole hand.
Consider this one set and repeat it about 10 times.
This trains the small muscles deep in the fingers called the lumbricals, making it easier to build strength at your fingertips.
Since it takes about a minute, getting into the habit of moving in this order will help improve your grip strength.
Grip strength exercises using a ballNEW!
Hold a soft ball in each hand.
A rolled towel works too.
First, vary the strength of your grip: on the count of 1 and 2, squeeze the ball firmly; on 3, loosen your grip.
Be careful not to relax completely and drop the ball.
Once you get used to it, match the movements to a rhythm by opening and closing the hand holding the ball.
For example, open the left hand while closing the right, then alternate in rhythm and repeat.
After each round of training, set the balls down and gently shake out your wrists to cool down.
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.
Number Exercise
Number Exercise is a routine where each number corresponds to a specific movement.
First, assign a movement to each number from about 1 to 3—for example, 1 means touch your head, 2 means clap your hands, and so on.
Once the movements are set, a staff member at the facility (or a leader) calls out numbers at random, and participants perform the corresponding movements.
Start with single numbers, then gradually increase the difficulty by calling sequences of two or three numbers in quick succession without pauses.
Because you’re moving your hands while also thinking, “Which movement goes with this number again?”, you engage both body and mind at the same time—boosting physical exercise benefits and stimulating brain activity.
Beanbag exercise
I also recommend beanbag exercises that can evoke a nostalgic feeling.
There’s something called reminiscence therapy, and it’s said that feeling nostalgia can help activate the brain.
Another benefit is that beanbags are inexpensive and easy to handle.
First, prepare one beanbag and try tossing it up with your dominant hand and catching it.
Then try the same with your other hand.
You’ll likely follow the beanbag with your eyes as you do this, and that also helps train attention.
I’ve explained a lot of benefits, but for now, don’t overthink it—just enjoy playing with the beanbag.
Sign Language Exercise: Roses Bloomed
A recreation activity recommended by a physical therapist! Here are ideas for a sign-language exercise to the song ‘Bara ga Saita’ (“The Roses Bloomed”).
Try humming this nostalgic tune while doing exercises that incorporate sign language.
The choreography is simple and easy to follow, which is a key point.
Since some moves repeat, it should be easy to remember.
Making this exercise part of your routine can help refresh both mind and body.
Take this opportunity to give it a try!
Clap Hands Rock-Paper-Scissors Exercise
Exercises that incorporate clapping are easy to keep in rhythm and are recommended for older adults.
One such exercise involves randomly making rock–paper–scissors shapes with both hands while layering in claps.
It provides positive stimulation to the brain and supports the physical and mental health of seniors.
Because it uses all the fingers, it seems likely to train each individual nerve.
It’s wonderful that, with a bit of creativity, rock–paper–scissors can lead to so many different finger exercises.
Moving with the clapping rhythm may help energize both body and mind.
