It’s vital for older adults to stay mentally sharp and engaged, and playing brain games is an excellent way to strengthen memory, reasoning, and decision-making skills. Playing in groups also encourages social connections and a positive outlook, which can stave off loneliness and depression.
Learn why memory games for seniors bolster overall health and get ideas for some of the best brain games to play with your loved one.
Why Are Brain Games Beneficial for Seniors?
Besides being fun and entertaining, brain games can effectively sharpen specific abilities that may deteriorate with age, such as executive function and processing speed. Mental and physical fitness are equally important for older adults – just as exercising improves agility and prevents bone and muscle loss, brain games can slow down mental decline.
Brain exercises can also help older adults maintain a positive outlook and healthy self-image through learning and mastering new skills. Playing games with family and friends lets older adults socialize and foster healthy relationships, which relieves stress.
The 7 Best Brain Games for Seniors
Choosing brain games your loved one enjoys will give you a much better chance of keeping them interested and engaged. To avoid frustration, you might need to modify these activities to suit your loved one’s abilities as their needs change.
1. Checkers
Checkers is an easy, approachable board game that requires less strategy than chess. Look for a game set with larger pieces if your loved one has arthritis or vision challenges. You can also play checkers online.
2. Word Searches
Word searches are a fantastic way to help your loved one beat boredom and relieve stress. Focusing on the puzzle can improve concentration skills and decrease anxiety. Plus, completing a word search provides a sense of accomplishment, which releases a feel-good chemical called dopamine.
3. Scrabble
Many families have fond memories of playing Scrabble together. In this classic game, players use their tiles to spell words that connect to each other. Scrabble builds creativity and simple arithmetic skills. Since it requires at least two players, there is also a social element.
4. Sudoku
Sudoku puzzles can be perfect for older adults who want to stay mentally sharp. This game involves filling in each square with the numbers one through nine, without repeating any numbers. Each sudoku grid comes with a few spaces already filled in. Easier grids provide more prefilled numbers as a starting point, while challenging puzzles have a lot of blank squares.
5. Trivial Pursuit
Trivial Pursuit is a fun brain game to play with family and friends. Answering the questions can spark lively conversations about shared memories and experiences.
6. Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles are easy to find online or collected into books you can buy at the grocery store or pharmacy. The puzzles range in difficulty, and your loved one can enjoy solving them alone or in a group. Crosswords are a fun, mentally stimulating activity that may improve memory and cognition and prevent brain shrinkage with regular practice.
7. Solitaire
Solitaire’s simplicity makes it a nostalgic pastime. Your loved one can play it online if they don’t have a deck of cards. Other easy card games include gin rummy and go fish.
Specialized Caregiving for Los Angeles Families
Brain games promote socialization, cooperation, and communication. For older adults, companionship and a sense of purpose are vital to improve their quality of life in their golden years. Legacy Homecare LA’s highly trained, thoroughly vetted Care Companions can help your loved one retain their independence by allowing them to age in place.
Contact us to book a consultation and discuss how we can give your family peace of mind.
