[For Seniors] Let's try customizing the usual Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra exercises!
It seems that many senior care facilities incorporate the “Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra exercises” before meals and at other times.
These are important oral exercises for older adults, using the mouth and tongue while vocalizing “pa, ta, ka, ra.”
The “Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra exercises” help prevent aspiration and support enjoyable conversation through training the muscles around the mouth.
However, doing the same routine over and over can start to feel monotonous.
So let’s try a modified version of the “Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra exercises”!
This time, we’ve gathered ideas with creative twists, such as adding hand claps or turning it into a parody song.
We hope older adults can enjoy their oral exercise time as well.
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[For Seniors] Let’s try arranging the usual Pa-ta-ka-ra exercises! (31–40)
Get hyped with a shuffle! Patakara Cards
The “Patakara exercises,” which smooth the movements of the mouth and tongue, are all about focusing on the shape of the mouth and articulating clearly.
But after repeating the exercises many times, you may get used to them and lose awareness of your mouth movements.
In that case, why not try rearranging the sequence of “pa-ta-ka-ra”? Turn each syllable into a card and perform the exercises using a randomly shuffled order.
This approach not only makes your usual pronunciation feel fresh, but also engages your brain as you reconsider the sequence.
Let’s make words with pa-ta-ka-ra
This is an arrangement that makes the exercise more enjoyable by associating words connected to “patakara,” a term that focuses on mouth movements.
By thinking of words that start with each letter, you not only work on mouth movement but also gain brain-training benefits.
First, loosen up your mouth with the usual “patakara,” then start by coming up with words—for example, for “pa,” you might say “pineapple.” Once you have four words, pronounce the four in sequence clearly and quickly to connect it to mouth training.
The key point is to keep your focus on “patakara” and to pronounce the initial sound of each word firmly.
Let’s exercise with the patakara syllable sequence
This activity involves creating sentences that make you move your mouth clearly, and reading them aloud while moving your body.
Don’t just use “pa-ta-ka-ra” as the initials of the sentences—be sure to incorporate each syllable properly within the sentences as well, so participants focus more on pronunciation.
It’s also important to decide what kind of movements match each sentence: by clearly switching between lateral (side-to-side) and vertical movements, participants can move their whole bodies while feeling the flow of the text.
Because the movements are simple and mainly use the upper body, it encourages participants to value the words and articulate them clearly.
Patakara exercises and clapping
By adding hand claps to the mouth-movement exercises, participants can also become more mindful of arm and hand movements.
If you insert claps between each pronunciation, it creates a brief pause before speaking, which can lead to clearer articulation and larger mouth movements.
Including elements that require thinking—such as gradually increasing the number of claps—can also provide brain-training benefits, so this is recommended as well.
Because you pronounce while keeping the rhythm in mind, it may also promote smoother movements of the mouth and tongue.
Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra finger exercises
When eating, not only mouth movements but also finger movements—like holding chopsticks or bringing food to your mouth—are important.
This is an adaptation that adds finger movements to the Patakara exercise to coordinate the mouth and fingers.
The content is simple: as you pronounce each syllable, fold a finger to count at the same time.
Once you get used to the motions, try changing the finger movements and gradually making them more complex to expect brain-training benefits.
While it’s important to focus on finger movements, it’s also crucial to be mindful that your mouth movements don’t become small.
[For Seniors] Let's Try an Arranged Version of the Usual Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra Exercises! (41–50)
Get hyped! High-speed patakara
This is an exercise that encourages you to pay close attention to the speed of articulation and aim for smooth mouth movements.
Focusing on each of the syllables in the familiar “pa-ta-ka-ra,” it’s a simple activity where you repeatedly say the specified syllable in succession.
It’s easiest to follow the person standing in front, using their pronunciation as a reference and aiming for the same mouth movements and the same speed.
The comical effort of trying hard to pronounce the same word is also an important point—let’s make it fun while training the mouth’s movements.
Oral exercises that also serve as brain training
This exercise adds a physical movement element to the usual mouth exercises, creating a brain-training effect by thinking about combinations.
The basic movement is large marching steps, and each time the step count reaches a multiple of three, you pronounce the syllables “pa-ta-ka-ra” in order.
While firmly counting your steps and considering which numbers are multiples of three, let’s move the body and activate the brain at the same time.
When attention shifts to the body’s movements and counting, the “pa-ta-ka-ra” pronunciation can become quieter, so it’s also important to encourage clear, distinct articulation.