As we age, keeping our brains sharp is essential to maintaining good health. We can adopt many things into our routines to improve cognitive ability, such as exercising, monitoring our blood pressure, and doing brain exercises.
Puzzles and games are great for challenging the mind, and participating in these activities regularly can help older adults improve their memory, processing time, and reasoning skills.
They’re also an excellent way for older adults to spend time indoors with friends and family. For more indoor activity ideas, follow this link.
Below, we’ve gathered a few games and puzzles perfect for older adults looking to improve their brain health and memory.
1. Word puzzles
Word puzzles are a great option if you’re looking for a challenging game. Games such as crosswords, word search, and hangman are enjoyable for solo players and friends and family to enjoy with their older loved ones.
These types of puzzles are excellent exercises to use as a memory game, as they can act as a test for older adults to remember specific words, their definitions, and the different ways of using them. These games are also ideal for those who love reading and writing as a hobby!
2. Jigsaw puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are ideal for those looking to challenge their strategy-making and problem-solving skills. These types of puzzles are great for distracting a racing, busy mind, as the activity’s slower pace contributes to a slower breathing rate, which can help older adults with anxiety.
In addition to being an excellent exercise for the brain, jigsaw puzzles are also very affordable and can provide countless hours of entertainment at a low cost!
3. Logic puzzles
When adults age, neural pathways can become blocked. However, logic puzzle games are great for stimulating those neurons, as they require the person playing to use lateral thinking.
These games are designed to test how a person uses and receives information and encourages participants to think in an unorthodox manner. These games also challenge players to test their logic skills by creating new solutions to solve the puzzle.
In addition to being an excellent choice for boosting brain health, logic puzzles are also very accessible, as they can be found in stores and online!
4. Sudoku puzzles
Sudoku is a number placement logic puzzle played on a 9×9 grid and is an exceptional choice for older adults who enjoy math-based games!
This game tests the player’s logic skills, mathematical ability, and other mental capacities. Sudoku is a fantastic game for older adults to play if they want to keep their minds sharp and alert.
Not only is this type of game a great challenge, but the puzzle’s difficulty gives a great sense of accomplishment upon completion. Individuals and groups can enjoy Sudoku, making the game an excellent choice for a day spent at home!
5. Rubix cube
The Rubix cube is one of the most challenging puzzles available and is an excellent choice for older adults looking to test their cognitive function.
These cubes come in many forms but are generally found in a 3×3 shape. The game’s objective is to rotate the pieces until each side of the cube is one solid colour.
It can take a beginner several hours to complete a Rubix cube for the first time, often making it the chosen pastime of a snowy or rainy day. But, once one figures out the technique, it will take less and less time to complete it. Challenge yourself or your group to see who can achieve the fastest completion time!
6. Card games
Many card games are fantastic options for challenging memory and brain function. Solitaire, for instance, is an excellent choice for keeping the mind sharp, as it’s a single-player card game that can only be completed by one person.
This game is ideal for older adults who struggle with or are prone to symptoms of dementia, as the nature of the game emphasizes challenging memory.
Card-matching games are another excellent choice for people working to stimulate their memory. To play solitaire type of game, simply grab a single deck of cards, lay them all out face down on the table, and try to flip over two cards that match.
7. Board games
Board games are another terrific choice for older adults looking to stimulate their memory function and keep their brains active throughout the day.
One significant benefit to board games is that they’re multiplayer games, which makes them ideal for those wishing to spend time with family or friends!
Regularly playing board games with loved ones can enhance one’s brain activity and significantly impact their mood, thanks to the opportunity to be social.
There are plenty of board games to choose from, including Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Yahtzee, and other popular choices. The possibilities are practically endless!
8. Checkers
Checkers is one of the simpler games on our list, but it’s excellent for people hoping to improve their hand-eye coordination and test their logic skills.
A great benefit to checkerboards is that they’re available in larger sizes with large checker pieces, which is ideal for those who struggle with arthritis or have challenges with their vision.
9. Chess
Chess is a perfect game for older persons looking to test their reasoning and problem-solving skills. Compared to the other games mentioned on our list, chess is more complex, as it involves strategy. The rules can also take some time to learn for those unfamiliar with the game’s intricacies.
However, once people have practiced enough, they can benefit from increased focus and improved strategic thinking.
Conclusion
There are many great puzzles and games to choose from that can help boost an older person’s brain health. From crossword puzzles to chess, older adults can benefit significantly from the challenge of completing these games, with benefits including increased focus, improved memory, and overall cognitive function!
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