Explaining interesting initiatives at nursing care facilities! We also introduce seasonal recreational activities.
Many older adults may spend most of their day in care facilities.
Repeating the same activities every day can fail to stimulate the brain and may lead to dementia.
You probably want to add variety to your recreational activities.
In this article, we’ll introduce some interesting recreational programs that care facilities are actually implementing.
Some are a bit unconventional, so if you’re a care facility looking to try something new, please use this as a reference!
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- [For Seniors] Recommended! Seasonal Recreational Activities
- For Seniors: Fun Entertainment That Excites at Nursing Homes
- [For Seniors] Today’s Recommended Activity: Fun and Engaging
- Recreation Activities Effective for Long-Term Care Prevention for Seniors
- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
- Enjoy a Comfortable Hospital Stay! Fun Pastime Activities Recommended for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- Recommended recreational activities to help seniors enjoy their time in care facilities
- [For Seniors] Highlights of Fun Events at Day-Service Centers
- [For Staff] Energize Your Nursing Home Respect-for-the-Aged Day! Performance Ideas Full of Laughter and Emotion
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Day Service: A Collection of Fun Event Ideas
- Recommended recreational activities for older adults with dementia
Explaining Interesting Initiatives at Care Facilities! Introducing Seasonal Recreational Activities as Well (1–10)
mochi pounding
If you’re looking for food-related recreational activities, you can’t leave out mochi pounding.
Most people know what mochi pounding is, but many may not have seen it up close.
There are also those who haven’t seen it live in a while.
That’s why, if you include a mochi-pounding event, people will be surprised and delighted by the live intensity.
Plus, actually pounding the mochi and shouting together—like “Eiyaa!”—is a fun way to get everyone excited.
Strawberry picking
Strawberry picking is appealing because you can enjoy delicious food and connect with nature.
Why not head to a farm with a field-trip mindset and give it a try? The taste of strawberries you pick yourself will surely be exceptional.
For participants who find it difficult to pick strawberries on their own, staff should provide support.
We hope everyone will enjoy the atmosphere of strawberry picking, including simply watching the picking process.
By the way, the recommended season for strawberry picking is said to be from late January to around February, as the cold helps the berries firm up.
Care Café
To ease the burden of at-home caregiving, there are day service centers that people attend specifically for care services.
While unique facilities continue to emerge, this video introduces a day service facility that feels just like a café.
The meals are authentic, and the interior—complete with a relaxing space for reading—is stylish, just like a coffee shop.
Of course, it also offers traditional services such as assistance with bathing and meals, so you can feel at ease.
Just as we go to cafés, it can be mentally beneficial for older adults to chat with others and enjoy this kind of space.
Explaining interesting initiatives at nursing care facilities! Seasonal recreational activities introduced as well (11–20)
Christmas
During the Christmas season, let’s create wonderful memories in care facilities too! Decorate the tree together with older adults and sing Christmas songs.
It’s also fun to reminisce and share nostalgic Christmas memories.
Making handmade ornaments is a great way to use fine motor skills.
How about dressing up as Santa Claus and exchanging gifts? If everyone works together to prepare for a Christmas party, it’s sure to be a lovely time.
May it be a heartwarming Christmas filled with the smiles of older adults!
summer festival
Summer festivals are special events that bring back joyful memories for older adults.
Wearing yukata or jinbei and enjoying activities like goldfish scooping or ring toss may remind them of the festivals from their youth.
It’s also a great idea to recreate the atmosphere of food stalls and prepare games everyone can enjoy.
With some thoughtful adjustments to make it easy for seniors to participate, you can create a wonderful festival filled with smiles.
A summer festival where people can feel the season and spend enjoyable time together will surely bring joy to their hearts.
cuisine
Cooking can be a wonderful recreational activity for older adults.
By making seasonal dishes together, you can stimulate the senses while having fun.
For example, in spring you might try dorayaki, and in summer shaved ice—starting with simple recipes is recommended.
The process of cooking can also help maintain memory and cognitive function.
Remembering ingredient names and checking the steps naturally activates the brain.
Enjoying the finished dishes together brings a sense of accomplishment.
It also deepens communication and creates a lovely time that energizes both mind and body.
Movie screening
A movie-watching gathering is a wonderful initiative that enriches the hearts of older adults.
By choosing films that match the season, everyone can enjoy them together.
Watching movies may bring back nostalgic memories.
Discussing the story and characters can also stimulate cognitive function.
Sharing feelings of excitement and joy deepens bonds among older adults and with the staff.
Immersing yourselves in the world of film can help you spend a wonderful time that refreshes both mind and body.
By all means, try hosting an enjoyable movie-watching event together.