Fun Activities to Fuel Brain Health
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. It's our annual opportunity to thank our magnificent brains and marvel at all that they make possible; the best way to thank them is to protect and nourish them.
During March, we pause to consider the danger and the prevalence of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The CDC explains: "TBIs, caused by an impact or force to the head or body or a penetrating injury to the head, affect millions of U.S. persons each year. Falls are a leading mechanism of TBI, and older adults are at increased risk for sustaining a TBI and experiencing TBI-associated adverse outcomes."
Visiting Angels of Cincinnati West can help when it comes to fall prevention and light house-keeping. Both make your environment or your loved one's home safer. That peace of mind is also good for brain health!
In addition to physical safety, our brains love to be stimulated. Consider these activities to keep your brain happy and healthy.
Puzz down
If you have not done a puzzle in a while, you may not know that a puzzle revolution is underway. Young people have taken to puzzling during the pandemic, and they love it! As a result, toy and hobby shops see these fun and absorbing activities flying off their shelves! But don't worry, they are stocking them regularly, so there's plenty of puzzles for all.
Working on a puzzle is a fun and absorbing activity. If you haven't done a puzzle in a while, don't start with one that's too hard. Don't make the mistake of kicking off your puzzle ambition with a 1000-piece behemoth. Start with something manageable, and build on your success. That way, you will remember why doing this is so much fun. Then, over time you can work up to those more ambitious projects.
Calming color
Why did it take us so long to realize that adults love to color too? Coloring is a great way to relax and unwind. It's a fun, joyful experience that engages the mind, heart, and memory. The Cleveland Clinic's blog points out that coloring can actually have mental health benefits: "When thoughts are focused on this simple activity, your brain tends to relax." This is not surprising, the clinic reminds us, as using art to find calm and focus is a basis for art therapy.
Play
Board games are fun. They also give our brains a workout. HealthFitness Revolution points out that we're using a range of important skills like communicating and problem-solving when we're playing games. We've also laughing and feeling a sense of belonging; all are good for our brains.
A HealthFitness Revolution blog post explains: "The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex especially benefit from playing board games. These areas of the brain are responsible for complex thought and memory formation. Board games help the brain retain and build cognitive associations well into old age too."
Now that more seniors are vaccinated, there may be more opportunities to play board games at your local recreation or community center. Check with your doctor and see if it is now safe for you to mingle socially. If so, you can count on your Visiting Angels Caregiver to get rides to and from such activities. Online board games are also an option, and you can play those with your kids, grandkids, siblings, and friends across the country. Up your online savvy with Visiting Angels Social Care Program.
Grow
Gardening is good for us! It feels good to be outdoors and its good exercise. It's wonderful and healthy to eat the fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs we grow. And gardening also boosts our brain health. Health and fitness writer Charlotte Hilton Andersen writes: "Researchers measured brain nerve growth factors related to memory in study participants—all seniors—before and after they created a vegetable garden, and found that their levels of brain nerve growth had increased significantly."
It's not too early to start making your spring plans!
Visit
There is nothing like warm, joyful companionship to feed the brain and the spirit. You can count on your Visiting Angels Caregiver to come by regularly and share a laugh, take a walk, enjoy a story. The time you spend with your caregiver is your time. Having quality time with a caring person makes us feel valued, accepted, and cared for, and that's the point. We're here for you and your precious brain. Call us at 513-598-6770 or reach out online.