[Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors
More and more people are finding their bodies tire easily and feel they’re spending longer periods sitting in a chair.
Some of you may be wondering, “Is there any training I can do while seated?” In this article, we introduce enjoyable health exercises you can do while sitting! We’ve compiled easy activities for everyday life, including strength training you can do from a seated position and brain-training exercises.
Be sure to try incorporating them as recreational activities in nursing care facilities as well!
- [For Seniors] Fun Exercises You Can Do While Seated
- For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable and Healthy Chair Stretches!
- [For Seniors] Easy and Fun Core Training
- [Today's Recommendation] Gentle Health Exercises for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- Cognicise you can do while seated. Simple dementia prevention.
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable While Seated! Ball Exercises and Recreation
- [Enjoy Safely While Seated] Newspaper Activities Recommended for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- [Brain Training for Seniors] Recommended Hand-Play Recreation for Dementia Prevention
- Recommended Indoor Exercises for Seniors
[Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors (51–60)
Patakara Oral Exercises – Blue Mountains
We’d like to introduce the Pataka-ra exercises performed to the familiar song “Blue Mountains,” well known among older adults.
Pataka-ra exercises are one of the standard training methods to prevent aspiration; by strengthening the mouth and tongue, they aim to maintain and improve oral functions such as eating and swallowing.
They’re easy to do—simply pronounce “pa,” “ta,” “ka,” and “ra” in time with the music.
Doing them before meals, in sync with the music, helps you enjoy your food and supports healthy living.
They’re also recommended as oral exercises in senior care facilities.
Upward Patakara Exercise
When your swallowing ability declines, you’re more likely to choke, and food or saliva can more easily enter the airway by mistake.
If this leads to pneumonia, it can have a major impact on your health.
To help prevent such aspiration, we’d like to introduce the “Upward Patakara Exercise,” which strengthens your swallowing ability.
It’s very simple: just pronounce “pa-ta-ka-ra” while looking up.
Doing only this can strengthen the muscles around the mouth and help maintain and improve your swallowing function.
Doing it before meals helps prepare your mouth, and continuing daily can make it even more effective.
Hand and mouth Pa-Ta-Ka-Ra exercises
We would like to introduce ideas for the Patakara exercises, which allow you to care for your mouth and get some exercise while seated in a chair.
By pronouncing “pa,” “ta,” “ka,” and “ra” while performing full-body movements, these exercises are highly efficient, benefiting not only your physical function but also helping to maintain and improve oral function.
In addition, because you perform two actions simultaneously—movement and pronunciation—the increased positive stimulation to the brain is expected to help prevent cognitive decline.
It may feel complicated at first, but please try it slowly at your own pace.
Patakara exercises with insect sounds
Here’s an idea for doing the Patakara mouth exercises to the tune of the well-known Japanese children’s song “Mushi no Koe” (Voices of Insects).
It’s simple: replace the insect names with “Pata-insect” and “Kara-insect,” and change their chirping sounds to “pata-pata” and “kara-kara” as you sing.
Many older adults are familiar with this short song, so it’s easy to try.
You don’t even need accompaniment—using a tablet or similar device lets you do it anywhere.
Enhancing oral function can also help prevent cognitive decline, so please try it proactively.
It’s especially effective when done before meals.
[Seated Exercises] Fun Health Exercise Collection for Older Adults and Seniors (61–70)
Senior Rhythm Exercise: Longing in the Rain
Let’s loosen up our bodies while singing! Here are some ideas for the Senior Rhythm Exercise “Ame no Bojō.” Moving your body to the rhythm refreshes both mind and body, doesn’t it? It’s especially recommended during the rainy season when the rain keeps you from going out for a walk.
Hum along to a nostalgic song while giving your body a good stretch.
You might find your head feeling clearer after the exercise! The routine is choreographed so you can participate even while seated, so please give it a try.
Scarf Exercise: Nagasaki Was Rainy Again Today
Let’s do some gymnastics with excitement using props! Here are ideas for a scarf exercise set to “Nagasaki wa Kyou mo Ame Datta.” How about joining the workout with a scarf or a large handkerchief? Exercising in a different atmosphere than usual might make some people’s hearts dance with excitement.
The choreography is simple and easy to follow, which is appealing.
You can participate standing or seated, so give it a try while letting your scarf flutter gracefully.
Japanese June is gymnastics
To get through the summer, let’s work on maintaining our physical fitness! Here are some ideas for chair exercises for June in Japan.
The rainy season makes it hard to go outside, but even then, you want to stay healthy and keep up your stamina.
To enjoy the coming summer with energy, let’s use exercise to maintain our fitness.
In the video, you’ll find stretches and exercises you can do while seated in a chair.
Try incorporating them on days when you feel you haven’t moved much.