[For Seniors] Introducing Recreational Activities Anyone Can Enjoy at Geriatric Health Facilities!
In nursing care facilities, there are residents with a wide variety of backgrounds.
Many use wheelchairs as well.
As people grow older, they tend to have fewer interactions with others, which can lead them to stay in their rooms more often.
In such circumstances, some may wonder whether there are recreational activities that anyone can enjoy.
This time, we’re introducing recreational activities at nursing care facilities that everyone can enjoy.
Please engage in these activities while interacting with those around you.
- [For Seniors] Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities in Nursing Homes
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities at Special Nursing Homes That Everyone Can Join
- Recommended recreational activities to help seniors enjoy their time in care facilities
- Recommended Indoor Exercises for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Today’s Recommended Activity: Fun and Engaging
- [November Health Topic] Indoor Recreation Ideas for Older Adults
- [For Seniors] Recommended Handmade Activities! Simple Ideas
- [For Seniors] Fun Even Without Sight! Recreation Ideas
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- Liven up the Respect-for-the-Aged gathering: A roundup of recreational activities everyone can enjoy.
[For Seniors] Introducing Recreational Activities Anyone Can Enjoy at Geriatric Health Facilities! (11–20)
balloon volleyball
Balloon volleyball is a recreational activity that anyone can enjoy at a nursing care facility.
It’s especially appealing because people who use wheelchairs can participate, too.
Balloons are light and soft, so it’s safe to have fun.
It’s perfect for getting the body moving, as it uses fine motor skills and quick reactions.
When everyone bats the balloon around together, smiles naturally appear.
Working as a team and calling out to each other also deepens communication.
In the warm, laughter-filled atmosphere, both body and mind can feel refreshed.
It’s a wonderful activity that supports the physical and mental well-being of older adults.
High-five relay
@wakuwaku_idea No equipment needed! Super easy, quick, and fun! High-Five Relay#SeniorActivitiesInterestingTranslationrelay
♪ Original song – Idea Wakuwaku Rehabilitation – Idea Wakuwaku Rehabilitation
It’s a game where you pass along high-fives to the next person, aiming to reach the final teammate before the opposing team does.
After doing five high-fives with the next person, you move on to the following one, so the speed of your arm movements is put to the test.
However, even if one side is fast, it won’t count as a high-five unless the hands meet, so a sense of cooperation is also crucial.
It might be important not to focus too much on clearing the game, but to share the fun of high-fiving as well.
Giant Balloon Volleyball
@binsannohige It was a balloon activity 🎈 We put five balloons in a trash bag to make one giant balloon. Everyone got really spirited (lol). In another activity, we relayed a balloon to a basket using a plastic string.Day Service Center Aozora ClubElderly care facilityDay care (elderly day service)#Game RecRecreation#Balloon ActivityNow hiring! We warmly welcome your use.
♬ Smooth and stylish electro-pop EDM(1303650) – Matsuki
One of the great things about balloon volleyball is that you can adapt it using everyday items.
Try a supersized version by putting five inflated balloons into a clear trash bag.
It’s especially fun and colorful if each balloon is a different color.
Have older adults seated in chairs rally the giant balloon back and forth.
You can arrange everyone in a circle, or split into two teams for a head-to-head match to make it even more exciting.
Because the balloon is so big, the amount of force you use may feel different than usual.
That difference—and the novelty—are part of what makes this game enjoyable.
Balloon volleyball in two teams
Recreation activities held as team competitions tend to really engage older adults.
Try dividing into two teams for balloon volleyball.
It’s recommended to set up a net or something that can serve as a substitute in the center.
Have older adults participate while seated in chairs.
The excitement will likely build just like in real volleyball.
Older adults with volleyball experience may even become star players.
Since there was a time when volleyball was very popular, some participants might recall their memories from back then.
Pool Stick Valley
Let’s have fun with a balloon volleyball game using pool noodles you can even buy at 100-yen shops.
Make a ring with one pool noodle and hang it from above.
Have the seniors sit in chairs in a circle, each holding a pool noodle.
When the balloon comes to them, they hit it back with their noodle.
If they can aim well, have them try to send the balloon through the hanging ring.
With a target to aim for, seniors are sure to get excited about balloon volleyball! It also seems like a great way to encourage interaction with those around them.
bamboo shoot digging
Let’s liven things up with a game themed around one of spring’s seasonal flavors: bamboo shoots.
Some seniors may have even gone out to dig bamboo shoots in a bamboo grove.
In this game, you win if you can catch the bamboo shoot—made from a paper cup—faster than your opponent.
Real bamboo shoot digging takes strength and can be tough, but with this game, where both the “tool” and the bamboo shoot are paper cups, seniors with hemiplegia can enjoy it easily.
Through the game, some seniors might recall times when they dug bamboo shoots or ate them.
[For Seniors] Introducing Recreational Activities Anyone Can Enjoy at Geriatric Health Facilities! (21–30)
Who is the master of the uchiwa?!
Speaking of summer, uchiwa fans are a must-have, right? They’re convenient and easy to use, and they’re cherished as items that blow away the heat.
This time, we’re introducing a recreation activity using uchiwa.
It’s a game where you use a fan to put tissues into a box! You can enjoy competing to see who can put the most tissues in.
As long as you have a fan, it’s an easy game you can play not only at day service centers but also at home.
It helps strengthen the hands and arms, and it’s great for stimulating the brain, so we highly recommend it.
