As your loved one has gotten older, you have probably both noticed that his memory isn’t what it used to be. He might forget names more easily or struggle to find the right word. While extreme memory problems can indicate a serious illness like dementia, some memory loss is normal as the brain ages. 

But, as the new year kicks off, your loved one might want to make a new year’s resolution to work on his memory strength as much as his physical strength. The great thing is that it can be a lot of fun to work on memory strength if you incorporate it into game playing. Games are a non-stressful way to exercise the brain and can provide social connections for your loved one if he plays a game with family, friends, and his senior home care provider. You can even arrange for his senior home care provider to visit a couple of times a week solely to play games. Now, there’s a fun job! 

Let’s look at some of the best games to play to keep the brain in top shape. 

Trivia

Whether you bring out the good, old-fashioned board game with the pie pieces, or you play on your phones, your aging loved one is sure to enjoy showing off how he remembers who won the 1965 World Series. Trivia is a great exercise for the brain as it directs the brain to look for answers that aren’t often sought but are safely stored away.

If your loved one has trouble coming up with the answer right away, offer prompts to keep the brain seeking the correct answer, especially if you’re sure he knows the answer. 

Memory Card Games

Often thought of as a child’s game, a memory card game can be a great form of exercise for your loved one’s memory. You can make it easier with fewer cards or make it pretty difficult by placing a large number of pairs of cards upside down on the table. Unlike trivia, this game works on short-term memory and can be a lot of fun for your loved one to play with grandchildren or a visiting senior home care provider. No prior skills are needed! 

Word Games

These can be a lot of fun on long car rides to boost memory. There are an unending amount of questions you can ask that will work your loved one’s brain as you’re driving to the family get-together in Timbuktu. Try asking your loved one to name five animals who start with the letter L, list the months in alphabetical order, or name as many capitols as he can. Another popular game is to say the name of a celebrity, then your loved one must use the first letter of your celebrity’s last name to be the first letter of his celebrity’s first name. You then do the same and you keep going back and forth until someone is stumped. 

There are many ways your loved one can stimulate his brain to improve his memory skills, it’s just a matter of finding the best-suited activity for him.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Senior Home Care in Altadena, CA please contact the caring staff at Nu Care Inc. today at. 800-505-6890