Entertainment and Performances That Delight at Day Services for the Elderly
Birthday parties, senior appreciation events, Christmas parties… Care facilities like day services hold seasonal events every month.
Many of you probably find yourselves thinking, “What should we do this time?”
In this article, we’ll introduce performances and acts that staff can put on, as well as activities and entertainment you can enjoy together with older adults.
You don’t have to follow these exactly—feel free to adapt any ideas you like to suit your facility.
That can be fun, too.
We hope you find this helpful!
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[For Seniors] Entertainments/Performances That Delight at Day Service (1–10)
rakugo (traditional Japanese comic storytelling)
Rakugo, Japan’s traditional storytelling performance, is an entertainment that people of any generation can enjoy.
Another key point is how few props it requires: as long as the performer has the costume to set the mood and the skill to tell the story, the act is possible.
There are plenty of pieces to draw on—from classic rakugo that many have heard at least once, to original works incorporating current events—so it’s great if you can choose material that suits the occasion.
Even with standard classics, the atmosphere changes depending on the performer, which is another hallmark of the art, and adding your own ad-libbing can broaden the possibilities of the piece.
Hand clamp
The Handclap Dance is characterized by big arm and leg movements and lots of jumping.
It became popular around the fall of 2019.
It’s also getting attention as a fun, easy dance you can do at home.
Try dancing to the song “HandClap,” which is used for the Handclap Dance, in front of older adults.
Some staff might think that learning a dance is difficult.
However, the Handclap Dance has simple choreography, so even people with no dance experience can learn it easily.
With its up-tempo music and large movements of the arms and legs, older adults will likely get excited and clap along.
Give it a try!
Cross-dressing contest
@heartfulthank Excellent CareChristmas partyDay service for the elderlyHirano Ward, Osaka CityIt was fun, wasn’t it?#ta
♬ Original Song – Heartful Sank – Heartful Sank
What would happen if a man you know well suddenly cross-dressed? It’s not something you often see in everyday life, but cross-dressing can really liven up an event.
For example, men dressed as women could take turns walking the stage like in a fashion show.
Even older adults would likely respond with applause and laughter.
Cross-dressing is easy to do using 100-yen shop items or things sold online, like schoolgirl or maid outfits.
On top of that, performing songs or dances is also recommended.
[For Seniors] Entertainment and Performances That Will Delight at Day Service Centers (11–20)
loach scooping
The loach-scooping dance, performed comically with a tenugui on the head and a one-mon coin nose pad.
They peer intently to find the loach and scoop it up using a basket and even their feet.
When the loach ends up in the basket and the dancer breaks into a smile, older adults watching may find themselves smiling along.
Keeping time with handclaps to the music and dance performed by seniors will likely lift the mood even more.
And among the seniors, there may be some who have performed the dance before, right? It could spark fond memories and lively conversation.
Finger magic
Speaking of finger magic, the classic is making a finger stretch, but this one is a trick where the number of fingers increases.
First, prepare a thin cloth like a handkerchief and hold it in your right hand.
Make the number “1” with the fingers of your left hand and cover it with the handkerchief.
While you count down like “3, 2, 1,” change your left hand into the shape of the number “2,” then remove the handkerchief.
Say something like, “Huh? My fingers turned into two!” to convey the surprise.
There’s truly no special gimmick to this trick, but it surprisingly gets people excited.
Encourage older adults to give it a try too!
Quick-change magic
When we think of quick-change magic, we picture someone reappearing in a new outfit in an instant.
Some facilities may even showcase it as part of events or programs.
But with a bit of ingenuity, you can turn it into an even more entertaining act.
Set up a changing area on stage and tell the seniors, “I’ll change quickly now.” This cue is the key point.
You imprint the idea that you’ll change quickly, but the twist is that you actually can’t change quickly—that’s the highlight of this trick.
If the outfit you finally change into is quirky, it will draw even more laughter from the seniors.
Bingo game
A crowd-pleasing activity, even when there’s nothing particularly funny about it, is the bingo game.
The thrill when you’re one number away.
The excitement of not knowing which prize you’ll win.
It’s fun to watch almost everyone in the venue react with joy or disappointment to each number that’s called.
Choosing the prizes is also a key point, so be sure to put some effort into it.
