balance & cognition
Sample class
The CogworxABC activity program provides all the instructional material needed to facilitate each weekly activity session. With your first eight week installment of the program we highly encourage that you first read through the content presented in the PDF’s and PPT’s to familiarize yourself with the activity descriptions, procedures, and materials. Subsequent sessions are delivered in four week installments.
Normal preparation for a weekly session takes less than thirty minutes to complete. This includes:
a) Reviewing of the session’s exercises, drills and PowerPoints (PPT’s)
b) Viewing accompanying video tutorials
c) Printing text from the PDF’s
d) Organizing PPT’s
e) Downloading of music
LET'S START
WEEKLY PREPARATION
Equipment Needed:
PowerPoint Display – Laptop, Television or an A/V system
Music – Laptop/ Smartphone and speaker
Material Needed:
36 in. yardstick: 1 per participant
Music as needed for #9 and #16
Review:
Review Activity Room Set-Up
Review Balance & Cognition Session Format
Open and print the CogworxABC Week 4 Session PDF
Write in the Day and Date of the session onto your session document.
Open the Days used/Days left year PDF.
a. Write in the Days used/Days left onto your session document.
Two buddies, Bob and Earl, were two of the biggest baseball fans in America. For their entire lives, Bob and Earl discussed baseball history in the winter and read over every box score during the season. They went to sixty games per year. They even agreed that whoever died first would try to come back and tell the other if there was baseball in Heaven. One fall night, Bob passed away in his sleep after watching the Yankees’ victory earlier in the evening. He died happy. A few nights later, his buddy, Earl awoke to the sound of Bob’s voice from beyond. “Bob, is that you?” Earl asked. “Of course, it’s me,” replied Bob “This is unbelievable!” Earl exclaimed. “So, tell me, is there baseball in Heaven?” “Well, I have some good news and some bad news for you. Which do you want first?” “Tell me the good news first.” “Well, the good news is that, yes, there is baseball in Heaven, Earl.” “Oh, that is wonderful! So what could possibly be the bad news?”….. “You’re pitching tomorrow night.”
Open the History Trivia
a. Read the History Trivia description.
b. Print the page(s) of the History Trivia information for the session date.
c. Read all history items of the day to your class.
1. Follow the deep breathing procedure steps.
2. Guide the participants with their inhaling and exhaling by providing verbal prompts.
3. Tell the participant that they will be making an infinity symbol or a “Lazy Eight” with their hand while inhaling and exhaling. Also physically demonstrate by motioning your hand in a vertical or “Lazy Eight” figure. Inhale while the hand moves to the left, and exhale while the hand moves to the right.
4. Mention the importance of keeping the eyes on the thumbnail as a way to help strengthen the eyes muscles.
5. Have the participant hold one of their arms up to shoulder level with their thumb pointed upward.
6. Begin with the prompt of “Let’s smell the roses” and slowly give a four count of “One and Two and Three and Four” (while keeping the thumb pointed upward).
7. “Hold” (at the intersection point for two seconds).
8. “Now exhale slowly, One and Two and Three and Four”.
9. Repeat the breathing cycle then switch arms for two more breathing cycles (a total of four).
10. Finish by making a big sigh!
1. Have the participants sit comfortably, being upright with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep shoulders, head and neck relaxed.
2. Place one hand on the upper chest and the other just below the rib cage and above the belly button. This will allow the participant to feel the diaphragm move as they breathe.
3. Use the phrase “Lets smell the roses” to give the participants a cue on initiating the inhalation through the nose. As the participant breathes in slowly through the nose, instruct them to move the stomach out against the hand. The hand on the chest should remain as still as possible.
4. Tighten the stomach muscles, bringing in the belly button toward the spine as the participant exhales slowly through pursed lips. Keep the hand on the upper chest as still as possible.
5. Repeat the breathing cycle five times.
6. When completed, tell the participants to take one more deep breath and to substitute the “exhale” with a big “sigh”. The participant will enjoy this fun form of stress relief!
Deep breathing or diaphragmatic breathing, is a breath that is done by contracting the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the most efficient muscle used for breathing. It is a large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the lungs. Using the abdominal muscles help move the diaphragm which gives us more power to fill and empty the lungs. This action also improves core muscle stability. As we inhale, we bring fresh air in and as we exhale we get carbon dioxide and other gases out of the lungs. This helps increase how much oxygen’s in the blood. The brain is very oxygen dependent, using 20% of the body’s oxygen supply. By providing larger amounts of oxygen to the executive center of the brain (frontal cortex), this allows for an increased ability to focus, clarity in thinking and relaxation.
Description: A seated exercise where both arms and legs are outstretched and then crossed at the same time.
- Sit forward in chair.
- Extend both arms and legs forward.
- Keep the toes pointed upward.
- Keeping the legs outstretched, cross the Right arm and Right leg over the Left arm and Left leg.
- Perform 5 repetitions.
- Slowly return the legs back to the floor and the arms back to the side of the body.
- Take a deep breath and extend both arms and legs forward.
- Keep the toes pointed upward.
- Keeping the legs outstretched, cross the Left arm and Left leg over the Right arm and Right leg.
- Perform 5 repetitions.
- Slowly return the legs back to the floor and the arms back to the side of the body.
- Take a deep breath and extend both arms and legs forward.
- Keep the toes pointed upward.
- Keeping the legs outstretched, cross the Right arm and Right leg over the Left arm and Left leg.
- Immediately cross the Left arm and Left leg over the Right arm and Right leg.
- Alternate between Right over and Left over for ten repetitions.
Description: A concentration, speed – processing drill where the participants will be touching a yardstick with either Right or Left forefinger onto a number verbalized by the facilitator.
Equipment needed: 36 inch yardstick for each participant (preferably ones with dark lettering for easier viewing)
- Have the participants place the yardstick on their lap (or on the arm rests of their chair) with the numbers upright.
- Instruct the participants that they are to touch the number on the yardstick with the forefinger of the hand as verbalized by the facilitator
- Hand/Number Pairs: Right/Left 6,12,18,24,30
- As this is a speed processing drill, allow no more than 2 seconds between calls.
- Progression: Allow only 1 second between calls and increase as tolerated.
Drill Appendix #2
Yardstick Tap Drill
Sample call list: R6, L12, L24, R24, L18, R30, L30, L12, R6, R18, L6, L24, R12, L18, R18, R24, L30, L6, R12, R24, L30, R30, R6, L12, L24, R24, L18, R30, L30, L12, R6, R18, L6, L24, R12, L18, R18, R24, L30, L6, R12, R24, L30, R30, L12, R24, R30, L12, R6, L6, R12, R18, L30, R12, L30, R6, L24, L18, L30, R6, L6, R12, R18, L30, R12, L30, L12, R24, R30, L12
Repeat proper technique before allowing the participants to stand anytime.
Description: The sit to stand movement is an excellent exercise for leg strengthening and its proper form is crucial in the safe transition from sitting to standing.
- Sit tall in the chair with the feet flat on the floor.
- Move the hips forward approximately 6 inches.
- Bring toes beneath the knees.
- Have feet pointed forward and at hip width.
- Position the chin parallel to the floor.
- Depending upon the conditioning level of the participant they may utilize one of the following arm positions in order of diff A) Hands placed on arm rests. B) Hands placed on thighs. C) Arms positioned outstretched in front of body. D) Arms positioned across the chest.
- Slight forward bend at the waist bringing the chin over the balls of the feet.
- With the eyes looking forward, stand straight up to the ceiling.
- Have the participants take a deep breath before the exercise with a reminder to breathe throughout the activity.
- Begin by having the participants stand behind their chair utilizing the “piano touch” technique (where the fingers are lightly touching the top of the chair).
- The participants are reminded to begin the activity by placing their weight on their left leg and to keep the leg slightly flexed as to not “lock” the knee as in keeping the knees “soft”.
- Emphasize the point that left leg (weight bearing leg) remains still while the right leg moves in the direction of the arrows.
- Demonstrate the toe tapping action by moving of the foot upward and downward (flexion and extension). Encourage the participants to tap with their toes and not with their whole foot.
- A series of diagrams consisting of Arrows and X’s are shown for a duration of 30 seconds to allow for equal attention to the leg strengthening component of the activity for each leg.
- Facilitator: Keep time and advance the PPT slide every 30 seconds, in addition to verbally prompting the participants to change to the other foot.
- The diagrams are used as prompts for the participants to toe tap to the X’s and to move the leg in direction of the arrows to the beat of the music.
- Remind the participants not to look at their feet, but to keep looking at the diagrams.
- Between each diagram another slide is presented that tells the participant to switch legs by shifting their weight to the opposite leg and to toe tap with the other foot.
- When switching feet, also provide a verbal cue to allow the brain and body to reset.
- Time approximately 30 seconds per slide.
Boogie Woogie” Tommy Dorsey, 1949
Exercise: Jive Toe Tapping 4 PPT
Description: An upper and lower leg strengthening exercise.
- Have participants stand in a neutral position behind their chair with the feet hip width apart.
- Place hands on top of the chair using the “piano touch technique” by keeping a light touch.
- Instruct the participants to relax and to take a deep breath.
- Stand on toes by raising the heels and hold.
- Keeping the heels raised, perform a half squat by releasing and flexing the knees.
- Keeping the heels raised, straighten the legs.
- Lower the heels to the floor.
- Bring toes and the balls of feet off the floor.
- Body weight will shift to the heels of the feet.
- Hold for a count of two.
- Return to a neutral starting position.
- Complete 5-10 repetitions as tolerated.
Description: A dynamic balance drill where the participant is given a cue to raise one leg while the opposite side hand to the other shoulder.
Equipment: A/V set-up
Materials needed: Exercise: Leg Lifts 4 PPT display.
- Have the participants stand behind their chair.
- Place the both hands on top of the chair using the “piano touch technique” by keeping a light grasp.
- Stand tall in the neutral position.
- Instruct the participants that the letters R or L will be displayed on a series of slides.
- When a Black R appears: lift the Right leg and place the Left hand to the Right shoulder.
- When a Black L appears: lift the Left leg and place the Right hand to the Left shoulder.
- When a Red L appears: lift the Right leg and place the Left hand to the Right shoulder.
- When a Red L appears: lift the Right leg and place the Left hand to the Right shoulder.
- Instruct the participants to take a deep breath.
- Proceed with PPT slide presentation.
Exercise: Leg Lifts 4 PPT
Repeat the proper technique before allowing the participants to sit anytime.
Description: The Stand-to-Sit movement is the reversal of the Sit-to-Stand exercise. It reinforces the mindset of using ones legs as much as possible in a safe and controlled manner. Utilizing its proper form is crucial in helping the participants keep their legs strong by not “plopping” back into their chair.
- Have the participants stand in front of their chair facing forward.
- Position both legs so that the edge of the seat is slightly touching the back of both legs.
- Have feet pointed forward and at hip width.
- Position the chin parallel to the floor.
- Depending upon the conditioning level of the participant they may utilize one of the following arm positions A) Arms positioned outstretched in front of body. B) Arms positioned across the chest.
- Remind the participants that the chair is directly beneath them and that it is safe.
- With the eyes looking forward, engage the core of the body.
- Release the knees and “slowly” bring the body to the seat of the chair.
- The participants are now in the exact position they would be in to initiate a “Sit-to-Stand”!
If needed: Review History Trivia PDF
For the History Trivia Recall activity ask questions that are prefaced with “Who”, “What”, “When” or “Where” or “How”. Whereas some of the trivia items may only lend themselves to one or two questions, you may be able to utilize three or four questions for others. For example: On June 6th, 1944, known as D-Day, 160,000 Allied troops landed on Normandy in Operation Overlord during WWII. You may ask; What happened on June 6th 1944? “When was Operation Overlord? How many troops were involved? Where did the Allies land on D-day?
Repeat proper technique before allowing the participants to stand anytime.
Description: The sit to stand movement is an excellent exercise for leg strengthening and its proper form is crucial in the safe transition from sitting to standing.
- Sit tall in the chair with the feet flat on the floor.
- Move the hips forward approximately 6 inches.
- Bring toes beneath the knees.
- Have feet pointed forward and at hip width.
- Position the chin parallel to the floor.
- Depending upon the conditioning level of the participant they may utilize one of the following arm positions in order of diff A) Hands placed on arm rests. B) Hands placed on thighs. C) Arms positioned outstretched in front of body. D) Arms positioned across the chest.
- Slight forward bend at the waist bringing the chin over the balls of the feet.
- With the eyes looking forward, stand straight up to the ceiling.
Description: A balance and concentration activity where the participants listen for a specific word or phrase, perform a single leg stance when it occurs then recall the number times they heard the word or phrase at the songs completion.
Equipment: Audio set up for the playing of the song recording.
- Have the participants stand to the right of their chair.
- Place left hand on the top of the chair and use the “piano touch” by keeping a “light” grip on the chair.
- Tell the participants the title of the song, name of the group and date released.
- Tell the participants the word or phrase that they will need to listen for (usually the title).
- Have the participants perform a single leg stance whenever they hear the selected word or phrase and to hold the leg stance.
- When the word or phrase occurs again have the participants change legs.
- Let the participants know that if they can’t hold their leg up for the duration, that it’s ok to move the leg to do toe taps.
- At the completion of the song have the participants verbalize how many times they heard the selected word or phrase.
“Be Bop a Lula” or “bop a lula” (16) Gene Vincent, 1956