[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.
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[For Seniors] July Events: Recommended Activities for Senior Care Facilities (21–30)
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.
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!
For Seniors: July Events — Recommended Recreation Activities for Senior Facilities (31–40)
Grilled Eel Game
In July, there’s the Day of the Ox in the Doyo period, right? In fact, there are several days called Doyo no Ushi no Hi throughout the year, but it became popular in summer as the time to eat eel to prevent summer fatigue.
How about trying a perfect activity for that day: the Grilled Eel Game? You make long, wriggly eels by rolling up newspaper, then place them on a platform that represents a grilling rack and compete for speed.
Simply placing them would be too easy, so try picking them up with chopsticks and setting them on the rack.
It’s good fine motor practice, too.
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.
Treasure Fishing
Let’s host a summer festival that gets participants’ hearts racing with excitement! Here’s an idea for a Treasure Fishing game.
When you think of a summer festival, many people imagine food stalls, right? This time, let’s try a treasure fishing challenge where you use a hook attached to a string to aim for and lift the ring attached to a prize.
The treasures can include snacks, drinks, tumblers, and small goods.
It’s fine to put them in transparent bags so the contents are visible, but setting them up in wrapping paper or paper bags so the contents are hidden could be fun too.
Be sure to give it a try!