[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!
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- [For Seniors] Extremely Effective Brain Training! A Fun Collection of Hand Games
- [For Seniors] Fun and Engaging Brain-Training Recreation
- [For Seniors] Popular Hand-Play Songs: Fun Brain-Training Ideas
- Cognicise you can do while seated. Simple dementia prevention.
- [For Seniors] Enjoy safely even during the COVID-19 pandemic: Seated activities
- [For Seniors] Brain Training Recommended for Dementia Prevention
- [For Seniors] Recommended Even for People with Dementia! Simple Recreational Activities
- Simple games for preventing and improving dementia
- [For Seniors] Liven Things Up With Different Left-Right Movements! Game and Exercise Ideas
[Brain Training for Seniors] Recommended for Dementia Prevention! Hand Play Recreation (71–80)
Patakara step-stomping rock-paper-scissors
This exercise combines three elements—vigorous marching in place, rock-paper-scissors hand movements, and the mouth-movement “pa-ta-ka-ra” routine—to provide brain-training benefits.
Start by establishing a rhythm with your steps, then align your hand and mouth movements to that beat.
Begin with a slow tempo and check each movement carefully.
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, increase the speed, vary the hand and mouth patterns, and create more complex combinations to enhance the brain-training effect.
Rather than going through the motions on autopilot, think about how each movement should be performed as you go.
That mindful approach is key to feeling the benefits of the brain training.
A simple activity using ohajiki (small traditional Japanese game pieces)
Some older adults may have played ohajiki when they were young or with their children.
Here are some simple recreational activities you can do with ohajiki.
Beyond lining them up on a table or floor and flicking one with your finger to hit another, there are many ways to play.
For example, you can play a curling-like game by flicking ohajiki onto a sheet with a circle and point values, or stack the pieces upward.
With a bit of creativity, it seems there are plenty of ways to enjoy ohajiki.
In addition to using your fingertips, these games can help improve concentration and promote communication.
Makimaki Apple Game
Let me introduce a recreation activity that makes great use of the hands and wrists: the Rolling Apple Game.
Attach a stick to a sheet of paper with tape, and place an apple on the paper.
Your goal is to bring the apple to your feet using only the motion of winding the stick—pulling is not allowed, so the winding action is key.
You need to use your fingertips and wrists, and if you wind too fast the apple will fall off, so you must decide whether to prioritize speed or focus on keeping the apple from falling.
Watching the apple make its way toward you is fun in itself, so spectators can’t help but cheer.
It’s enjoyable while also training the fingers and hands, making it a great recommendation for recreational activities in senior facilities.
[Brain Training for Seniors] Recommended for Dementia Prevention! Hand-Play Recreation (81–90)
Othello
Move the Othello discs with your hands and keep those fingers active.
Othello has simple rules, so many older adults are probably familiar with it.
Through the game, you’ll pick up the discs with your fingers and move them around.
Just moving your fingertips alone can help stimulate the brain.
But Othello isn’t only about finger movement, is it? You also think things like, “What will happen if I place it there?” or “How can I prevent them from taking the corner?” You take on the game while thinking.
Advancing the game while considering your opponent is said to be good brain training as well.
With seated Othello, many seniors can engage in it and have fun at the same time.
Wobbly Cap Game
As we age, the dexterity of our fingertips declines.
In fact, it’s said that more than half of the brain’s regions are involved in moving the hands and processing sensation.
As a result, with aging, the commands from the brain to the hands and fingers can become sluggish and don’t transmit as smoothly.
Finger exercises can help your hands and fingers move more smoothly.
So let’s train our fingertips with a game that uses an empty plastic bottle.
Cut the bottle so that about the top half from the mouth remains.
Cover the cut edge with vinyl tape to finish.
Place the bottle upright with the capped mouth facing down, and put a bottle cap inside.
A game where you try to drop the cap into a wobbling, swaying bottle seems like something everyone can enjoy together with lots of laughs.
Super Ball Relay
Introducing the Super Ball Relay, a game that can be enjoyed by small groups to large gatherings.
All you need are paper cups and super balls.
Participants sit in a circle or around a table, each holding a paper cup.
Place a super ball in the first person’s cup, then pass the ball to the next person using the cups.
The goal is to pass it all the way to the last person.
Predicting the ball’s movement and tilting the cup accordingly, as well as figuring out how to receive the super ball, provides great stimulation for the brain.
You can also vary the fun by racing for speed or increasing the number of super balls.
Activities of daily living with a towel
Let’s try training activities of daily living using a towel.
Activities of daily living (ADL) refer to the minimum actions needed to maintain everyday life and serve as an index for assessing one’s ability to function.
When ADL declines, it can lead to deteriorating physical health and loss of independence.
We’ll do easy exercises using a towel.
Use your fingers to fold the towel into a small square, and perform movements that mimic washing your upper body, feet, and back to build muscle strength.
These exercises may also help stimulate brain activity.