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Games To Play With Seniors

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Brain Games And Mental Health

All Seniors Care Senior Games 2

Mental health is as important as body health for living life to the fullest. Scientists say that depression and other illnesses threaten millions of people worldwide. Therefore being aware of and knowing how to deal with them is crucial to keep our minds healthy.

Playing brain games is an easy, funny, and beneficial way to boost brainpower. There are many brain games for seniors, so choosing the most effective ones and playing them every day can significantly affect mental health.

These engaging games also increase their self-confidence and strengthen their skills such as memory, attention, logic, problem-solving, etc.

The Importance Of Games For Senior Citizens

As children, we dont think about anything. We just play. It is through play that we learn as the hours fly by. Did you know that games for adults are equally or more important than for children?

Activities such as Dominoes, Card Games, Bingo, or Parcheesi stimulate mental agility and encourage social participation. This is why sit down games for senior citizens are so enriching.

Playing games is one of the best tools to keep your cognitive capacity and physical skills in good shape.

Besides, they are a great excuse to share pleasant afternoons with your family and friends. They will provide a source of healthy competitiveness and so many laughs and moments to remember.

Games To Improve Physical Mobility

In addition to including a series of fun games for seniors, we could not forget writing about physical games for seniors.

Physical activity in adulthood is very important and has well-known benefits. By playing fun physical games, you can:

  • Develop your physical dexterity and mental agility.
  • Rekindle curiosity, imagination and creativity.
  • Improve self-esteem and a feeling of wellbeing.
  • Develop leadership and teamwork skills.
  • Integrate with other generations.
  • Find companionship and camaraderie.

Generally, seniors who are active have more energy and enjoy better health than seniors who are sedentary. For these reasons, here are some ideas of physical games for seniors that you can play to improve your well-being.

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Five Fun Cognitive Games

1. Jigsaw Puzzles

Complicated jigsaw puzzles stimulate the brain and allow seniors to pass the time while having fun. Jigsaw puzzles are no longer relegated to the table. Seniors can piece together jigsaw puzzles online. Each puzzle in TheJigsawPuzzles.com contains 1,000 pieces that seniors can zoom in upon.

While assembling a jigsaw puzzle on a laptop, tablet or smartphone, seniors improve their cognitive functioning. Memory improvement is an outcome. Seniors exercise their visual perception and recognition as they piece together the puzzles. In fact, both sides of the brain get a workout.

2. Treasure Hunt

Memory skills are sharpened with online games, like Treasure Hunt. This game features a pirate theme, perfect for seniors with a love for adventure. Seniors earn virtual gold coins as they successfully remember the correct items found in each of the pirate ships rooms.

3. Daily Word Search

New word puzzles are introduced every day in the online game Daily Word Search. Seniors may elect to play at beginner or advanced tiers, making the game suitable for every skill level. The classic word search is available to seniors online for free.

4. Checkers

Checkers is a classic game that can also be played online. The pieces are uniform, and the game requires less strategic thinking. Still, checkers players must think ahead and anticipate their opponents next move. Seniors may choose from among various levels of difficulty.

5. Solitaire

Games For Senior Citizens To Try

Indigenous Senior Games

Mixing his personal experience with his knowledge of aging and the mind thanks to his B.A. in Psychology, Michael offers a unique perspective on aging.

Learn about our Editorial Policy.

Playing games at any age, including during retirement, is healthy for the mind and body. Games for older adults can keep the brain active, encourage social interaction, and even help to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

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Games For Those Living With Dementia

It has been said that keeping the brain stimulated through games can help slow the progression of dementia. There are certain board games targeted at those living with dementia.

Perhaps you might like to try the following games if your loved one receives a dementia diagnosis:

  • Amazing Chase: this can be used in both early and late stage dementia
  • this game is specifically aimed at understanding how your loved one thinks and to understand what they like and dont like
  • Snakes and Ladders: perfect for mental stimulation
  • Animal Snap: this card set is specially designed around cognitive stimulation therapy for those living with dementia

Five Great Games To Play With Your Elderly Loved Ones

Never underestimate the power of a good game!

For seniors, playing fun, low-impact brain games can be a great way to stay sharp and alert over time. In fact, studies have shown that older adults who regularly stimulate their brains with active, educational activities tend to score much higher on memory and cognition tests than those who dont.

Playing a game with your senior loved one is a great way to keep your aging family member engaged, alert, and focused, helping to give their mental muscles a workout while also showing them a great time!

And, in many ways, the togetherness and camaraderie that come with playing a game together may be just as important to your aging loved ones health. Its true! In fact, helping your senior loved ones remain socially active is one of the easiest and most effective ways to help them stay healthy for longer. Studies have shown that older adults who maintain strong social relationships have fewer chronic health conditions, experience greater longevity, and report a higher quality of life overall.

So, what are some games perfect for helping everyone come together, while giving your elderly loved one the chance to sharpen their mind? Here are a few ideas worth trying out!

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Time To Play A Great Board Game For Seniors And All Ages

It’s game time! Youve picked your game, now youre ready to play one of these great board games for seniors and people of all ages. It’s time to settle in for a fun time creating new memories together.

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Card Games For The Elderly

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A simple deck of cards can entertain someone for hours theres gin rummy, whist, go fish, snap, even solitaire.

These card games for older adults are familiar but also help to improve cognitive skills and memory power. Playing card games is not just down to luck they improve memory as require a huge amount of logic, reasoning, strategy and concentration.

As we get older, our vision can get worse. Which is why we like larger sized playing cards they are easier to see and hold onto, ideal for partially sighted seniors.

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Choosing The Best Games For Seniors With Dementia

There are many different games that seniors with dementia can enjoy.

It is important to choose games that are both fun and stimulating for the individual while also being within their skill level and cognitive function.

Some of the best activities and games for seniors with dementia include: board games, card games, puzzles, computer games, and other activities that require physical activity. It is also essential to keep in mind the individuals cognitive ability level when selecting a game.

Fun And Functional Party Games For Elderly People

We all love to party and celebrate, no matter what age we are. Some party games can become difficult with age, but there are many games that are both enjoyable and can boost skills required to live happily and healthily into older age.

Partners in Pen is an excellent crafty party game that only requires a pen and some paper. A group is split into pairs with person one having a pen and some paper, and the person two having a list, or bag of items. Person two then goes on to describe an object and person one must draw it. The aim of the game is for person one to guess what they are drawing before the image is complete. A great game for creative thinkers.

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Board Games For Senior Adults

Board games are another great way to interact with other seniors. Make sure the games you pick are easy enough to play and have large letters that are easily read.

  • Backgammon can be played by two players and is one of the oldest board games in the world.
  • Scrabble is a tiled word game for two or more players that will challenge vocabulary skills.
  • Go is a board game of Asian origin that shares many similarities with Othello and Reversi.
  • Chess is a timeless classic that challenges players to think several steps ahead of their opponents.
  • Chinese checkers, curiously invented in Germany, is a great game for up to six players to enjoy.
  • Trivial Pursuit tests the knowledge and memory of players across six diverse categories.
  • Hive is a terrific abstract game that is easily played on any flat surface.

Best Board Games For Seniors And The Elderly

To be aware of

There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.

Are you looking for the best board games to give as gifts to your parents or grandparents?

If so, then youve landed on the right page! In this post, we share with you the 15 best board games for seniors and the elderly. We have reviewed these games thoroughly and found that they provide the best experience when it comes to fun and entertainment.

But before we get to our list, let us first discuss the benefits of playing board games for those who are more advanced in years.

What You Will Learn

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Volunteering For The Over

There is no reason why volunteering should only be reserved for young people. No matter how old an individual, or how capable they are, there are volunteering activities for everyone from reading with children, to caring for animals, and helping in charity shops. Not only does volunteering allow individuals to make a difference in the world it also changes them in surprising ways!

In addition to feelings of wellbeing, volunteering can reduce social isolation, and allow new skills to be developed. A quick search online will highlight just how many volunteering opportunities there are for older people.

Simple Card Games For Seniors And Dementia / Alzheimers Patients

Here are a few popular card games that are easy to play and learn. Yes, many of these games are played with children, but the games we played as kids are often the best card games for elderly people with dementia because the rules are simple.

Plus, they may remember playing these as a child themselves which could spark a memory!

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Games For Elderly People With Dementia

There are games which can help you to moderately exercise your brain and play a part in stopping, if not reversing, the process of cognitive deterioration in patients with dementia.

These games would include jigsaw puzzle-based games, word based games, card games and dominoes. Depending on the stage of dementia, you may be able to participate in more complicated versions of the above games.

Games To Improve Cognitive Skills

Price is Right WALL GAME for Seniors

In adulthood, cognitive stimulation is essential. It helps older people to maintain and even improve cognitive abilities.

As we age, it is essential to delay the deterioration of cognitive functions. Keeping mentally active will help ensure a better quality of life through aging.

One way of achieving this is playing games which promote short term memory. Board games for seniors are a great option to support brain training. Here are some suggestions:

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Improving Mental Health By Playing Memory Games

According to studies, playing memory games for seniors can support mental health in so many ways.

A significant improvement in cognitive skills can be observed by stimulating the brain and memory. That’s why playing games is a pretty advantageous memory-boosting activity.

Besides all the benefits of memory games, like developing strategic thinking and attention, they help perform the daily tasks of seniors better and positively affect mental health.

Entertaining Solo Games For Seniors They Can Play Alone

Are you looking for fun solo games for seniors? Then youve come to the right place.

Brain health is particularly crucial in the elderly, as it deteriorates with time, so its vital to keep the mind active with games and stimulating activities .

And thats why Ive gathered a list of the 10 best one-person fun games for seniors. Read on to find them out.

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Games To Play With Elderly People To Keep Them Engaged

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Games are not only mediums of enjoyment and social interaction among children, they are extremely popular among the elderly. They are a means to keep the elderly engaged and help them keep mentally and socially active.

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of playing games and also about some games to play with elderly people.

Contents

As we age, we tend to gradually lose our cognitive abilities and higher brain functions. A sedentary lifestyle with very little mental stimulation enhances this process. It is, therefore, very important for you to stay engaged with activities that promote thinking and cognitive functions.

As per a recent bulletin from the World Health Organization , an estimated 35.6 Mn people are living with dementia and some form of cognitive disability worldwide. This number is expected to double every two decades and may comfortably cross a 100 million people by 2050.

While there are many activities like solving crossword puzzles and Sudoku that the elderly can indulge in, they do not provide the extra dimension of social interaction as some games do.

Never Too Old To Learn A New Language

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Our brain ages as we do, but it is possible to enhance brain health and reduce the impacts of aging by challenging it. Learning a new language is one of the best ways to do that. As well as language classes in community centres, there are also language classes online, and audio books available to loan from libraries.

Learning a language is best done with friends, making it a great activity for enhancing sociality in older people. Some may be put off by the challenge of a new language, but it doesnt even matter if the older person isnt able to learn swathes of vocabulary learning just a few words will get the cogs turning and enhance mental health.

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Card Games For Older Adults

Many people have played card games their entire lives, so continuing to play will enhance spirits and activate memories. Check out these group card games for seniors.

  • Pinochle is a popular senior card game with many variations.
  • Bridge is another card game that will help to keep the mind sharp.
  • Canasta was popular in the 1950s, making it a hit among today’s seniors.
  • Rummy is one of the most popular games in the world and is good for two to four players.
  • Cribbage is so well liked, it even has a membership club.
  • Chinese poker is a fun variation with 13 cards organized into three poker-style hands.
  • Big two is a competitive card game that involves smart strategy and prudent play.
  • Solitaire is a lifelong favorite card game with numerous variations.

Reduced Risk Of Alzheimers

Did you know that approximately 5.7 million seniors in the US suffer from Alzheimers? This progressive brain disease is also the fifth leading cause of death among seniors. Nonetheless, this journal article reports that playing video games increases hippocampal grey matter and reduces Alzheimers risk factors in seniors.

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Guess The Name Of A Song And Artist

Whatever your age, music evokes many beneficial emotions. In fact, music is often used as a therapy because of its powerful effects. However, for older people, music is a great way to trigger memories and reminisce about the past through conversation.

Guessing the name of songs is an easy and enjoyable game to prepare. Think about popular songs of your times or your favorite songs and record them. You can ask friends to do the same.

When you are together, play a short piece of one of the songs and then ask the others to guess what song it is and who sings it. Enjoy reminiscing whilst you listen to the songs!

One of the cheapest ways to store your songs is on a playlist via one of the popular streaming apps. If you are looking to upgrade your cell phone, visit Amazon to check out their latest deals.

Word Games For Seniors Can Reduce The Risk Of Dementia

3 Easy Memory Games for Seniors

On April 1, 2011, my career of 35 years in teaching came to an end. I had trouble meeting deadlines and could only concentrate on one thing at a time. My inability to retain what Ive just been told was frustrating for me. The staff were getting worried. At first, I didnt face up to the fact that I had Dementia. I thought of it as forgetful and scatty, but I could no longer deal with shopping or money. The less I could do, the more restless I became. My needs were becoming more demanding, as I needed increasing help with dressing, toileting and bathing.

Annas sad story is just one of the thousands of stories told by seniors who have Dementia and are unaware of the healing power of word games for seniors. Statistics show that 1 out of every 14 people over 65 in the UK has Dementia, which significantly impacts their lives and society. In 2015, more than 50 million people were living with Dementia, and unfortunately, as the population grows and ages, the number of people affected will likely surpass 130 million by 2050.

Memory loss and behavioural changes are the first signs of Dementia. Slowly but relentlessly, cognition declines, language is disrupted, and behaviour changes occur, diminishing a persons independence. Many people think theres no escape at this stage, and their lives have ended. However, we are here to tell you Dementia is not an end. By keeping the mind active, Dementias adverse effects can be kept at bay or minimized.

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