Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Finger Rehabilitation Tools: Easy DIY Ideas

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My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
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I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

Illnesses or disabilities can make it difficult to move the fingers or can cause unintended movements.

When these symptoms affect the fingers, they can lead to various difficulties in daily life, such as being unable to use chopsticks or a pen properly, struggling to get dressed, or lacking strength and falling.

In this article, we introduce DIY rehabilitation tools to help improve finger mobility.

All of them are easy to make, so consider creating them in senior care facilities to support rehabilitation for older adults!

[For Seniors] Finger Rehabilitation Goods: Easy Handmade Ideas (21–30)

Finger exercise gadget made from a milk carton

[Recommended for Day Service] Individual functional training! Training using handmade rehabilitation tools designed for daily living activities [Care Prevention / Recreational Activities for Older Adults]

Finger exercise gadget made from a milk carton

Introducing an easy rehab tool you can make with milk cartons! First, prepare lots of milk cartons cut into thin, ring-shaped slices.

If you’re using cartons that have been opened flat, shape them into rings after cutting.

Once you have plenty of milk carton rings like those used for ring toss, you’re ready to go! The trainee will pick them up one by one with their fingers and stack them like a tower.

If they use chopsticks to pick up the rings, it also becomes chopstick training! It’s also fun to add a game element, like competing to see who can build the tallest stack within a set time.

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color clip fastener

@user8492253312849
Independent Project Production Log 75. Color Clip FastenerTranslation Handmade teaching materials Special Needs Education #Autism Neurodevelopmental disorder #After-school Day Services Tokachi
♬ A walk with the puppies Relaxing pops – spiraea

“Color Clip Match” is an activity where you prepare colorful sheets of paper and clip on paper clips of the same color, making use of the paper’s original colors.

There’s no need to color the paper, so preparation is simple.

Pinching the clips with your fingertips and attaching them to the matching color spot is perfect for training fine motor movements and grip strength.

Distinguishing colors and placing the clip in the correct spot also stimulates the brain.

The materials are easy to find at 100-yen shops and similar stores, making it simple to get started.

It’s a fun, game-like rehab method that’s highly recommended for older adults.

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[For Seniors] Finger Rehabilitation Gadgets: Easy DIY Ideas (31–40)

Straw threading with string

@flapuuu
Recreation Translation Kadoma Caregiving Straw Fingertips #IWantToBeOnTheRecommendations Waiting for likes A workplace with laughter Dexterous hands Translation Caregiver The real power of beautifying effects #JUICY
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Here’s an idea for a handmade rehabilitation tool recommended for seniors: the “straw threading” activity.

It’s simple—cut colorful straws into short pieces and thread them onto a string.

Pinching the straw pieces and threading them uses precise finger movements, which helps restore fine motor function in the fingertips.

Varying the colors and lengths also makes it a brain-training exercise.

All you need are straws and a string, both easily found at 100-yen shops, so preparation is simple.

It’s easy to start and enjoyable to do, which is another big plus.

Try incorporating it as rehab to support independence in daily life.

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hair tie holder

@user8492253312849
Independent Project Production Log 87. Hair Tie Holder 2Translation Special Needs Education Handmade teaching materials #Autism Neurodevelopmental disorder #After-school Day Services Tokachi # developmental support (ryōiku)
superstar – Sharou

“Hair Elastic Hook” is a rehabilitation tool for older adults made with a wooden board, colored pushpins, and hair elastics.

Push pairs of red, blue, yellow, and other colored tacks into the board, then loop matching-colored hair elastics over the corresponding tacks.

Pinching and stretching the elastics with the fingertips requires fine motor control and engages the hands’ functional movement.

Matching the colors correctly also stimulates the brain, supporting cognitive training.

Its colorful and playful look helps maintain focus.

All materials are easy to source and it can be made like a simple craft, so it’s easy to introduce.

It’s a convenient and practical rehab activity that we recommend.

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Bottle color coding

@goya_namakemonoikuji
Bottle color-sorting play ☺️ Great for fine motor activities, color sorting, and sorting tasks 🌟Handmade teaching materials #HandmadeToys # developmental support (ryōiku)Developmental Support #EducationalToys Finger play work
Animal Baby – Akari Ueno

Here’s an idea for a handmade rehabilitation activity for seniors using small bottles and sponge stickers, called “Bottle Color Sorting.” Use three colors of sponge stickers—red, blue, and yellow—to mark the bottles and caps.

From a large set of mixed pieces, screw the caps onto the bottles so that matching colors are paired together.

The action of grasping and twisting the caps with the fingertips exercises hand strength and dexterity, providing rehabilitative benefits.

Sorting and correctly matching the colors also helps train attention and concentration.

All materials can be found at 100-yen shops, and preparation is simple.

It’s a practical rehab item that’s easy to enjoy while being effective.

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Finger Dexterity Practice Board

@n.annlee321
I got a request for a ribbon-practice toy! ☺️💓 The wooden board and the stapler (300 yen) are both from Daiso ✨#tiktok classroom Life with children #Kindergarten
♬ Nerd Strut (Instrumental) – Gen Hoshino

We’d like to share an idea for a simple rehabilitation tool for seniors: a “Finger Dexterity Practice Board” that can be made just by attaching everyday parts to a board.

Prepare items like buttons, hook-and-loop fasteners, snap buttons, buckles, and ribbons, nail them onto the board, and you’re ready to go.

No special skills are required, and it comes together in no time.

By fastening and unfastening each part, users naturally strengthen finger power and dexterity.

Since these movements are all useful in daily life, it serves as practical rehab and helps build confidence in everyday activities.

It’s an easy, recommended DIY training board for both home and care facilities.

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Finger exercises with cotton swabs

@habii.jp
Simple Craft Series: Finger exercises with cotton swabs. “HABii,” the official child development support and after-school day service that supports the growth of children with developmental concerns. <Posted around evenings three weekdays a week> For the official account of Wellbe Employment Support, go here → @Wellbe Employment Support [Official]#NeurodevelopmentalDisorders Parenting # developmental support (ryōiku)Habi
♬ Dino Song – Mr. Popolo

The “cotton swab finger exercise,” which can be made with everyday materials, is a perfect DIY rehabilitation idea for seniors.

Paint cotton swabs in colors like red and blue, put matching colored stickers on toilet paper rolls, and make small holes there.

The way to play is very simple: find the matching color and insert the cotton swab into the corresponding hole.

Distinguishing colors and making fine finger movements provides hand dexterity training and stimulates the brain.

Because it feels like a game, it’s easy to keep doing regularly, which is a nice bonus.

All the materials are household items, so you can make it right away whenever you feel like it.

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