Companion Care: How Brain Games Help Seniors in Lubbock, TX and the Surrounding Area
Chess, bridge, word puzzles, and other brain games are beneficial in helping seniors keep their minds sharp. Research has shown that challenging and engaging brain games have a significant effect on metal function, which can be especially beneficial for aging adults. These games can also serve provide a range of social and emotional benefits.
Here are four ways brain games can improve cognitive function and overall well-being for seniors:
1. Brain Games May Help Seniors Advance Thinking Skills
As part of the normal aging process, the mind may slow down in minor ways. Signs of decline include:
- Memory not as sharp
- Planning skills suffer
- Vocabulary diminishing
- Processing speed reduced
- Reaction times slower
By participating in brain games seniors can prevent normal age-related mental decline, similar to how exercise prevents muscle loss. Most aging adults, particularly those who are retires, tend to not use their minds as frequently as they did while they were young. Brain games can combat this cognitive decline, re-engage the mind, and improve thinking skills.
Participating in familiar activities may not have the same protective effect as mastering a new one. Due to this, expert suggest changing gup games periodically. When using companion care your senior will have access to multiple brain games with a friendly companion.
2. Brain Games May Have a Positive Social and Emotional Impact
Games can be a great coping mechanism for seniors that suffer from stress or and/or anxiety. When they are able to refocus their minds on strategizing, like when checkmating in chess, they are able to reduce stress and relive daily anxieties. Games are usually very relaxing and enjoyable for seniors. These activities tend to be incorporated into a calm and predictable routine—such as working on a puzzle after dinner or solving the local Sunday morning crossword puzzle.
Games are also used as a socialization tool for seniors who may have become isolated from their communities. When this happens they can suffer from senior loneliness and depression; seniors can resist this by participating in a card night, joining a local chess club, or jigsaw puzzle group. Staying connected with their communities is important to help improve their mood alongside by staying socialized. Companion care caregivers are able to help plan and schedule events with your loved one’s friends.
3. Brain Games Can Help Seniors Connect with Loved Ones
Games provide an opportunity for seniors to connect with family members, such as grandchildren, who may enjoy puzzles, jokes, or board games.
With the COVID-19 pandemic many families have not been able to spend time together in person, thankfully with technology they have been able to still be able to play games together. Online games are a way to be able to connect and spend time virtually with family members. With companion care services your senior can be set up to be able to virtually play games with family members.
4. Learning a New Skill May Provide Health and Wellness Benefits
Learning another skill (like photography) or learning a new language are ways that experts say are also beneficial to keep minds healthy an engaged. Finding new, challenging, and enjoyable mental tasks and working towards mastering them keeps the mind working and young. Your seniors companion care provider can work alongside them to practice these new acquired skills.
Physical exercise is also important to work towards keeping healthy physically and cognitively; physical activity boosts blood flow to the brain and keep the brain in shape. Experts suggest including physical and mental exercises daily.
Strategizing and thought-provoking games like chess and word puzzles are easy to acquire and learn. It is never too late to engage the mind daily, and the best time to start benefiting from brain games it today.
Find out more about our companion care services and how our compassionate and loyal caregivers will be available to work alongside your senior through games, hobbies, or other activities that will continue to boost their well-being and cognitive functioning.
If you're interested in more information about how in home care can help your senior loved ones, call 806-758-7588.