Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Recommended Events for May: A Roundup of Ideas That Get Everyone Engaged

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.
Care Worker Initial Training Certification ObtainedNakajima Junko
Leveraging my experience working as a care worker at a day service, I am currently active as a writer in the caregiving and welfare fields. Beyond writing, I hope to expand my work into web design and illustration. I am a mother of three who has begun studying to become a certified social worker.

May is a refreshing season that makes your heart feel light.

As the weather warms up, it becomes easier to hold events at facilities and similar venues.

It’s also a time when older adults may feel like trying new things, isn’t it?

With that in mind, we’re introducing recommended May events for seniors.

We selected activities designed so that even those who find it difficult to move around can still enjoy themselves.

May features many events and observances, such as Golden Week, Children’s Day (Tango no Sekku), and Mother’s Day.

There are also interesting commemorative days that make event planning fun, like “Makeup Day” and “Hyakunin Isshu Day.”

Through these events, seniors within the same facility can communicate more and deepen their connections.

We hope everyone enjoys them together.

[For Seniors] Recommended Events in May: A Collection of Crowd-Pleasing Ideas (41–50)

Simple carnation

[100-Yen DIY!] Easy and cute handmade paper carnations for Mother’s Day!

Simple carnation

The second Sunday of May is Mother’s Day—a day to express gratitude to mothers—and many people have either celebrated it or been celebrated themselves.

When it comes to gifts for Mother’s Day, carnations are a classic choice, known for their soft appearance and gentle, pale colors.

With Mother’s Day in mind, why not try making carnations out of tissue paper? Fold several sheets together like an accordion and trim both ends; then, imagining the flower’s softness, gently open it up while adding light wrinkles.

Since the process involves carefully separating and spreading each sheet one by one, paying close attention to the movement of your fingertips is also important.

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iris bath

On Children's Day, let's take a shobu (calamus) bath!

iris bath

When it comes to May 5th—Tango no Sekku, Children’s Day—alongside carp streamers and kashiwa-mochi, shobu-yu (iris bath) is also iconic.

By soaking in a bath with shobu, a medicinal herb believed to ward off illness and evil spirits, people pray to stay healthy through the hot summer ahead.

There are various ways to add the iris to the bath, but if you put the long leaves in without cutting them, it’s easier to recognize them as shobu and it emphasizes the seasonal feeling even more.

Precisely because this is a custom long cherished in Japan, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on its origins and the meanings embedded in it.

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Gardening

[Big Yard Cleanup] This is the culmination of my plant cravings and material desires...! The annual epic battle: a full reset of the messy yard | Gardening in a Small Garden

Gardening

May is often considered the beginning of summer, and the greenery deepens, doesn’t it? By engaging with plants during this season, we can heighten our awareness of nature and feel the changes of the season more closely.

In gardening, you prepare flowerpots and various kinds of flowers, then arrange them freely to complete your creation.

The mental process of selecting pots and flowers and planning the design, as well as the movements of your hands and fingertips as you place the flowers and cover them with soil, are key points.

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Wishing Koinobori

20130505 Many wishes on a big carp streamer KVID1861

Wishing Koinobori

This is a recreation activity where you draw a large picture of a carp streamer on paper and then attach round, cut-out message cards like scales.

It takes a bit of effort, but you can enjoy not only making and looking at the carp streamer, but also reading everyone’s messages.

If you’re doing this in a senior facility, it might be nice to ask visiting family members to write messages as well.

They will surely appreciate it.

The more participants there are, the more magnificent the carp streamer will be!

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In conclusion

We introduced events and recreational activities related to May.

As the weather gets warmer, it becomes easier to plan outdoor activities like picnics and gardening.

It would be nice if older adults—who may have a diminished sense of time and season—could also enjoy the feeling of the season through May-themed events.