It is important to stay active and keep our bodies fit as we age. However, it is often forgotten that this principle applies to our minds as well. As a caregiver, there is a simple way to help your loved one keep their mind sharp: play games.
Research has shown that playing card games and working on puzzles can lead to improved cognitive function in seniors, helping them to retain mental sharpness. Furthermore, “evidence suggests that people who spend long stretches of their days, three hours and more, engrossed in some mental activities like cards may be at reduced risk of developing dementia,” reported the New York Times.
Card games, puzzles, and board games all provide seniors with entertainment while giving the brain a mental workout. Games such as concentration can also be used to help prevent memory loss. Research suggests that challenging the mind keeps brain cells healthy and therefore less prone to damage, reported CBS News.
Socialization is another key benefit games offer seniors. Engaging your loved one in a round of cribbage or helping him or her with a jigsaw puzzle is great way to spend time together, while also stimulating the mind. Organize a weekly or monthly game night, and try classic games such as bridge, cribbage, backgammon, rummy, or Scrabble. Seniors can also exercise their minds alone with crossword puzzles, word searches, Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, or by playing solitaire.
As the old adage goes, use it or lose it. Help your loved one stay mentally sharp - and get ahead of the game yourself - with something as simple as a game of cards.