As your loved one or family member ages, keeping their brains active is as important as maintaining their physical health. Games such as traditional card games, memory games and stimulating puzzles, can provide a good platform for exercising the mind. The effect of playing games is noticeably beneficial for the mind in the short term and research has shown that seniors attain sustained cognitive benefits in the long run. Here are some of the best games for seniors to boost their brain health.
Card Games
You can’t go wrong with card games. Just a single deck of cards can offer many different game options, and seniors can pick games that match with their cognitive abilities. They can even choose to play alone or with other players. Rummy, Pinochle and Cribbage are some of the favorite games among older adults. Solo games like Solitaire or Hearts also can sharpen their logical thinking skills and improve their focus.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is designed for convenience and portability. It allows users to play games on it everywhere and anywhere with ease. Understandably, games which require rapid hand movement and coordination may be unsuited for older adults. However, with the right selection of games, our parents will find them easy to learn and play. For instance, Animal Crossing, Monopoly and Clubhouse Games can be mentally engaging. Overall, these games help facilitate physical, mental, social activity which can help to improve our physical and emotional health.
Shake Loose a Memory
In this game, the objective is to amass as many cards as possible. However, the real aim of the game involves memory work and initiating conversations. Each game comes with one die and 192 cards, and can be played by one to six players. The best part about the game is there are no incorrect answers! All five games in the set are specifically tailored to the needs of people with mild dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Chess and Checkers
Chess stimulates the mind. While playing chess, players have to strategize their moves in order to beat their opponents. The game can give us a good mental workout, improve cognitive functions and combat changes in the brain due to aging. Chess is easily accessible as it only requires a set of chess board and its pieces. Nowadays, it can also be played online on sites like SparkChess, which allows players to play against one another or challenge the computer.
For seniors who find chess too complicated, they can opt to play checkers instead as its rules and mechanics are less complex compared to chess.
Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are an exceptional source of entertainment where we can piece the puzzle pieces on our own or work together with others. Jigsaw puzzles can aid in training the mind to focus and to give attention to details. Seniors not only get to exercise their fingers, but they also have fun and achieve a sense of accomplishment after finishing a puzzle. There are many different types of puzzles that seniors can choose from. There are even puzzles available for seniors with different cognitive abilities; simpler puzzles can be selected for those with some form of memory or visual impairment.
Boost Your Brain Health at Discovery Village At The Forum
It’s imperative for seniors to engage in brain stimulating activities to improve their overall brain health. At Discovery Village At The Forum, our calendar of activities are specially designed to boost our residents’ brain functions. If your loved one is socially isolated and do not require medical care or assistance for their activities of daily living, they can find out more about joining our independent senior living community! Learn more about our senior living options at Discovery Village At The Forum today.
