Have you ever heard the term “If you don’t use it, you will lose it”? Well, there is some truth to it when it comes to your brain and more so as we age.
When a muscle is not being used as it normally does during your life it will become weak or lazy. Our brain is a muscle and similar to other parts of our body as we age can become less used and not as reliable.
Unfortunately, as we age our muscles become weak due to inactivity or being used less. The importance of keeping them in the best possible shape is totally dependent on your daily routine. Regular exercise should be a priority in everyone’s life no matter the age, but the importance does increase as we grow older.
Memory Enhancing Games for Seniors
Memory games are fun and among the top of the list for helping keep your mind active and healthy. Best of all they can be played at any time by yourself with a piece of paper, computer, phone or tablet. It is highly recommended to engage with other people so it involves social engagement, but we cannot always be at a social gathering, especially under some of the restrictions covid19 have brought upon us.
Best Mind & Memory Games for Seniors To Improve Mental Health:
Checkers – Chess: Board games are great as they require thinking and a train of thought. This encourages coming up with a strategy or plan of action. It brings out our competitive nature and allows us to concentrate and put our best effort forward.
Play on a computer and compete against someone else in the world with a chat, or play against the computer itself and be sure to set the appropriate difficulty level. Always start at the lowest difficulty and work your way up for best results and better competition.
If you have someone else in the home that you could play a board game with would be optimal. Nothing beats the human interaction of two or more people competing and having fun. Remember to have fun and keep it friendly, nothing wrong with competition but at times some people can take it to an unnecessary level. 🙂
Puzzles – Brain Teasers – Small Projects: Also among the top games for keeping our minds in shape are puzzles and certain brain teaser games. This might not be for everyone but most people make the mistake of starting a puzzle that requires too much time or effort.
Choose a small puzzle that only requires the amount of time you want to put into the project. Perhaps when selecting a puzzle be sure to choose one with larger pieces and be sure to keep the amount of pieces low, at least for your first attempt.
Brain teasers are meant to be fun but remember the intention is to make you think outside the box and this could cause some confusion. Here are some selected online websites that offer something fun and include games for seniors 50+.
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age.
Puzzle Prime’s mission is to provide students and adults of all ages the opportunity to develop their mental skills in a fun and engaging way. … With many sections to choose from, including Brain Teasers, Detective Mysteries, and Online Games, Puzzle Prime is the most productive place to spend your free time at.
Brain Den.. Enjoy more than 1000 fun brain teasers for kids and adults, riddles, logic puzzles, paradoxes, optical illusions, brain games and jokes
Braingle is a place to solve puzzles, brush up on your trivia, play games and give your brain a workout. Get ready to have your brain tangled! Brain teasers
Simply because these games are online does not mean you cannot enjoy them with family. Most sites offer forums and chats where you can play with anyone in the world including your family in other provinces or countries.
Start with your grandchildren and send them an invite, they may already be playing an interactive game that they would love to play with you on.
The point of this article is to encourage seniors to be active and encourage positive mental health. Sometimes we all need a little nudge and reminder to keep us active and remember there is a whole world of people just like you.
Safety First…
Please remember to keep safe whether in or away from the home, online with your computer, or chatting it up with someone online. Everything we do comes with elements of risk and should be pursued with caution.
At Senior Protection we are here to help and keep you living life on your terms. We offer a medical alert device designed to help keep you active and our customer care team is here to help with your safety and emergency needs.
For more information on Senior Protection and our service, please go to https://seniorproteciton.ca or call 1 866 416 0838
Stay Active & Live Life On Your Terms with Senior Protection