[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 Recreational Activities for Elderly Care Facilities (41–50)
barbecue
The charcoal crackles, the meat sizzles, and the smell is mouthwatering! Why not use the facility’s open space to host a barbecue party? It’s the perfect recreation for the milder seasons.
Since you’ll be using fire, it’s best for staff to handle the grilling and pass the food to the older adults.
Also, consider sunshades or tarps for heatstroke prevention.
Along with vegetables and meat, grilling rice balls or marshmallows is highly recommended!
radio calisthenics
When it’s hot, it’s hard to find the motivation to exercise, right? But if you don’t move at all, you might lose even more stamina to get through the summer.
So let’s all do some Radio Taiso together! You can do it anytime, but first thing in the morning, right after you wake up, is recommended.
If you search on YouTube or other video sites, you’ll find lots of different Radio Taiso videos.
You could try switching it up—upper body focus today, lower body focus tomorrow—to keep things fresh and avoid getting bored!
Tanabata Quiz
When it comes to indoor activities that still feel summery, “Tanabata Quiz” is a great choice.
It brings the July highlight of Tanabata closer to everyone, so it’s highly recommended.
Prepare several questions related to Tanabata and present them on paper or on a screen.
Adding a time limit turns it into brain exercise and gives participants the thrill of wondering whether they can answer in time.
It’s also nice to give a prize to the person with the most correct answers.
Older adults can join in easily, so give it a try!
Tanabata Magic
For a Tanabata recreation activity, how about some Tanabata-themed magic tricks? One involves an illustration of bamboo leaves placed in an envelope that transforms, with just a snap of the fingers, into a picture of bamboo decorated with many ornaments.
This is easy to do by using a double-layered envelope and taking the picture out from the other side.
Another trick uses paper cups with Orihime and Hikoboshi drawn on them: when you pour water into the cup, the water disappears and, instead, paper streamers keep coming out.
This can be easily done by using a polymer absorbent like the kind used in disposable diapers.
Chorus: We Are Children of the Sea
Using your voice is not only great for relieving stress, but it also greatly helps improve cardiorespiratory function.
Take deep breaths and sing children’s songs or beautiful Japanese songs together in unison, and you’ll enjoy all kinds of benefits, including better sleep.
Even if you feel shy about vocalizing alone, singing with others will surely be fun.
If you’re more advanced, try challenging yourself with two-part or three-part harmonies.