[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!
- [For Seniors] Hand and finger play roundup: Finger exercises that lead to brain training
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- [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 (111–120)
Let’s look up and walk with finger exercises
The song ‘Ue o Muite Arukou’ is a famous classic by Kyu Sakamoto.
It remains a beloved piece even today.
The familiar melody is wonderful, and the uplifting lyrics are lovely too.
This time, let’s do the Goo-Choki-Pa exercise while singing this song.
It’s an exercise where you have fun making rock-paper-scissors shapes with your left and right hands.
Doing it to such a soothing tune feels calming, doesn’t it? The tempo is relaxed, so it should be easy for older adults to keep the rhythm.
Finger training with clothespins
This activity uses clothespins to build fingertip strength and pinching motions.
You stick a large illustration onto cardboard and then attach clothespins to the illustration as if they were hair.
It’s fun because children can move their fingers while thinking about what kind of hairstyle to create.
When connecting clothespins to each other rather than just attaching them to the illustration, they need to carefully consider where to clip them, which also engages the brain.
While clothespins are commonly operated with the thumb and index finger, intentionally trying different fingers can help train finger strength more evenly.
wet mop
It’s a collection of soft, thin strands, and it’s wet.
If you were to touch it without seeing it, some of you might imagine it’s something alive.
If it’s a well-used mop, when you touch it and smell it, you might wonder, “What’s that smell?” and feel even more unsure about what it is.
If you happen to move the mop while gingerly touching it, you might let out a scream and run away.
Since it’s a cleaning tool that’s widely used, it’s also recommended because it’s easy to prepare.
Milk carton tower
This is a game where players compete to see how high they can stack cross-section slices of milk cartons within a time limit.
Since you’re stacking square cartons, your strategy—such as the angle at which you place each piece—and your ability to concentrate are put to the test.
The time limit is a key element: balancing speed with accuracy can help stimulate the brain.
If the carton widths are random, choosing which pieces to use also demands focus, making it an even more challenging and enjoyable experience.
Get hyped—suri-suri ton-ton!
While seated in a chair, this activity has you perform different movements with each hand on your knees.
In time with the rhythm, one open hand rubs the knee, while the other hand is closed in a fist and taps the knee.
Doing forward-and-back and up-and-down movements on opposite sides helps activate the brain and can also provide a massaging effect for the legs.
It’s also recommended to swap hand shapes and actions within the rhythm to boost quick reactions and concentration.
Once you’re comfortable with the basic movements, gradually add rules to further enhance the brain-training effect.