Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] March-Themed Event Activities

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Worked as a certified care worker for 17 years.Nanaka
I’ve been working as a certified care worker for 17 years. I’m Nanaka, a caregiving web writer. I decided to pursue this profession because I wanted a job that would help people. Having worked in day care for many years, I’ve experienced a wide variety of recreational activities. Exercise set to music, in particular, always created a cheerful atmosphere and was very well received. I’d be delighted to continue delivering writing that resonates with readers through caregiving-related articles. Thank you for your support.

In this article, we introduce March events and recreational activities for seniors!

March is full of occasions like Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) and White Day.

Elderly care facilities such as day services often hold a variety of events every month.

Of course, classic recreational activities are fun, but these ideas are also recommended when you want to change things up a bit and try something different.

Many of them can be enjoyed at home as well, so please feel free to incorporate them.

[For Seniors] March-Themed Event Activities (31–40)

Let’s make flowers bloom on a withered tree.

Super popular day-service activity♪ It gets everyone pumped! Shall we make flowers bloom on the withered tree!? #dayservice #elderly #elderlyactivities #seniors #spring #caregiving #preventivecare #braintraining #dementiaprevention #dementia #shorts

Let's make flowers bloom on a withered tree.

When the warm spring arrives, the cherry blossoms come into full bloom, but in March many regions are still just beginning to bloom, aren’t they? How about enjoying an early cherry blossom viewing as a recreation activity at a senior facility? This game is called “Let’s Make Flowers Bloom on the Withered Tree.” As the name suggests, you toss cherry blossom flowers onto objects that resemble tree branches to make them look fully bloomed! If the flowers land on paper plates placed at the tips of the branches—with points written on them—you earn those points.

This game can be enjoyed while seated, making it appealing because everyone can participate together.

Please enjoy a full bloom of cherry blossoms with this game!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Exercise to the song ‘Spring Has Come’

Simple exercises and senior activities: “Spring Has Come” brain training that livens up day-service programs

Exercise to the song 'Spring Has Come'

The familiar children’s song “Spring Has Come.” This time, we’ll introduce a brain-training exercise you can do while singing this song.

First, let’s review the movement performed over four beats.

After taking three steps in place, on the fourth beat, clap your hands and lift your thigh.

That’s all.

This may seem simple on its own, but doing it while singing the nursery rhyme will likely change your impression.

Moving your body, recalling the lyrics, and singing—these separate actions provide stimulation to the brain and are said to help prevent cognitive decline.

It can be done anywhere and with any number of participants, so it’s also recommended as a recreational activity in senior care facilities.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Hinamatsuri Exercises

[Happy Hinamatsuri] Easy to do while seated! “Includes 2 DVDs & 2 CDs: 32 Energetic Exercises for Seniors with Seasonal Songs, Full Color” #3

Hinamatsuri Exercises

For a recreation activity in March, how about enjoying some exercise to the seasonal children’s song “Ureshii Hinamatsuri”? While March gradually gets warmer, there are still many chilly days, making it perfect for moving your body indoors.

Seasonal songs are said to stimulate older adults’ brains and help relieve stress! Let’s incorporate gestures inspired by the nursery rhyme and have fun doing some exercises.

It can be enjoyed while seated, so please try it together with everyone.

Since many people may already know this song, it could be nice to sing along as you go.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

mini-golf

Putter golf that seniors can easily enjoy #dayservice #recreation #eldercare

mini-golf

Although it’s spring on the calendar, many of us may still be spending a lot of time in warm indoor spaces.

So this time, we’d like to introduce an indoor putting golf game.

All you need is cardboard and a ball.

Cut various sizes of holes in a flattened piece of cardboard and write in the point values.

To make the game more exciting, assign fewer points to larger holes and higher points to smaller holes.

Once you place the cardboard on the floor, just roll the ball as you would in golf.

You can use a racket, or even a cane you’re comfortable with.

With simple preparation, it’s fun even with a small group, and it’s also effective for improving concentration.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Making botamochi during Ohigan

Day service handmade ohagi

Making botamochi during Ohigan

In March, when we think of the equinoctial week (Ohigan), we think of ohagi and botamochi! It’s also fun to make botamochi together—pounding glutinous rice and either stuffing it with sweet red bean paste or coating it with kinako (roasted soybean flour) is highly recommended.

Making everything from scratch can be a lot of work, so if you prepare pre-pounded glutinous rice, cooked red bean paste, and kinako, it’s easy and convenient to just shape and coat them.

Using store-bought red bean paste makes it even simpler.

Botamochi you make yourselves will surely taste better than what you usually eat.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

[For Seniors] March-Themed Event Activities (41–50)

Sakuramochi Making

[For the Spring Higan, Sakura Mochi] The world’s easiest sakura mochi made with a rice cooker

Sakuramochi Making

Let’s try making sakura mochi, an essential treat for the Peach Blossom Festival (Hinamatsuri).

When you think of sakura mochi, you picture a gentle pink Japanese sweet.

Color glutinous rice with red food dye and cook it; once it’s done, knead it and shape it into balls.

Wrap sweet red bean paste with the rice, then top with desalinated (soaked) cherry blossoms or leaves to finish.

Using a rice cooker instead of a steamer makes it easy.

There’s also a type made by cooking a pink wheat-flour crepe and wrapping it around red bean paste—this is called Chomeiji sakura mochi.

That version also seems like a fun one to make with older adults.

Enjoy a lovely time with delicious, fun-to-make sakura mochi.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Sakuramochi Making

Day Service Shiki Monogatari homemade sakuramochi video.

Sakuramochi Making

Having older adults cook can stimulate their dexterity and brains through planning and fine motor tasks.

How about handmaking sakuramochi, a treat that evokes the arrival of spring, together with your facility’s residents? Staff can handle the step of steaming the glutinous rice, and the older adults can try wrapping the sweet bean paste in the rice.

Of course, it’s also fine to do every step together from the start.

By eating what you’ve made together afterward, everyone can share in the joy of cooking.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem