[For Seniors] July Events: Recommended Recreation Ideas for Senior Facilities
July is when the feeling of summer really ramps up.
When planning recreational activities during hotter weather, it’s important to pay close attention to heat precautions and the health management of older adults.
To avoid the heat, people tend to spend more time in cool indoor spaces.
At times like these, you’ll want to offer recreation that doesn’t feel monotonous.
Try incorporating a variety of activities themed around July events such as Tanabata, Marine Day, and the Day of the Ox (Doyo no Ushi no Hi).
Please use this article as a reference for planning July events at senior care facilities.
- Activities perfect for July for seniors: Introducing games and recreational options
- [For Seniors] Fun Activities That Liven Up Cool Evening Festivals and Summer Festivals
- [For Seniors] Enjoy July! Easy and Fun Snack Activities
- [Elderly Care] Summary of Ideas and Recreational Activities Linked to August Events
- [For Seniors] Exciting! A Collection of Game Ideas Using Uchiwa (Japanese Hand Fans)
- [For Seniors] Enjoy and Beat the Summer Heat! July Craft Ideas
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- [For Seniors] July health topics: a wide range of ideas including exercises, crafts, and quizzes
- [For Seniors] Recreations to Experience in August
- [For Seniors] Haiku Selections for July: Ideas to Feel the Summer
- [For Seniors] July-Themed Origami: A Collection of Fun Ideas
- [For Seniors] July Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts. Easy and Engaging
- [For Seniors] Enjoy Summer to the Fullest! Fun Summer-Only Activities Introduced
[For Seniors] July Events: Recommended Recreation Ideas for Senior Facilities (1–10)
Tanabata decorations
Many of you probably enjoyed decorating bamboo branches for Tanabata when you were children.
Making Tanabata ornaments and paper strips (koyori) and decorating them is also an important recreational activity for older adults to experience the season.
Create a beautiful Tanabata display while keeping the overall balance in mind, and enjoy your Tanabata event!
flowing somen (nagashi-somen)
Catch the somen noodles as they rush by at high speed! Dip them in mentsuyu and slurp them right up! Let’s try nagashi-somen, a classic summer recreation.
I did just call it a “classic,” but since it takes quite a bit of prep—like a long piece of bamboo, a spacious area, and a tub to catch the water—there may be few seniors who have actually tried it.
All the more reason to give it a go now.
You can also try flowing round, rollable fruits like grapes instead of somen!
Bon Odori (Bon dance)
Isn’t Bon Odori the dance rooted in the hearts of the Japanese people and in the local land since long ago? Many Bon Odori have simple, easy-to-remember choreography so that anyone can start dancing right away, and everyone can enjoy dancing together.
In addition to traditional dances, there are also newly created Bon Odori, so choose ones that suit the season and your group, and have fun moving your body.
[For Seniors] July Events: Recommended Activities for Senior Facilities (11–20)
Festival stall games
Speaking of summer, how about trying a festival-style fair? That bustling atmosphere with lots of people and rows of food stalls is exciting no matter how old you are.
Open up booths for things like target shooting, shaved ice, and cotton candy! The more stalls you have, the more ways there are to enjoy the fair.
If you hold it indoors, it’s easier to beat the heat.
Ring toss lets you move your body, and goldfish scooping gives great fingertip stimulation.
With a bit of creativity, the possibilities are endless!
Making plum syrup
Here’s how to make a delicious, seasonally inspired plum juice.
Prepare green or fully ripe plums, rock sugar, and a large container.
The key is to choose unblemished plums and prepare them carefully.
Sterilize the large storage container and let it dry before use.
Layer the plums and rock sugar like a mille-feuille.
Make sure you have enough space so you can work comfortably without straining.
It’s also a good idea to explain the purpose and benefits of plum juice as you go.
Enjoy making your tasty plum juice!
Make a summer greeting card
As June passes and July begins, we enter Shōsho, the time when people start sending summer greeting cards (shochū-mimai).
Shōsho usually falls around July 7, and the period for sending shochū-mimai lasts until around August 7, the day before the start of autumn (Risshū).
How about a recreation activity where you make your own shochū-mimai? With a few ideas—like writing with a brush pen or using stamps carved from erasers—you can create lovely cards.
You could send the finished pieces to family members or facility staff.
It’s a recreational activity that brings a sense of the approaching summer.
Taiko no Tatsujin
Taiko drums are an essential part of Japanese festivals—their powerful, resonant sound gives people the energy to push through the heat.
With Taiko no Tatsujin, a game themed around taiko, you can enjoy the simple pleasure of drumming anytime.
It’s a rhythm game, but since there are only two types of hits—the center and the rim—anyone can give it a try by adjusting the difficulty.
Rather than focusing solely on the screen, it might be important to vividly imagine a real taiko and feel the rhythm with your whole body.
