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Today, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are among the most pressing health threats facing the elderly care community. In fact, it’s estimated that nearly one in three seniors dies with a type of dementia. But while cognitive decline is prevalent, there are activities that individuals can do to keep their brains healthy. In particular, it’s believed that keeping the mind active and engaged can help strengthen the brain against progressive deterioration. In honor of National Game & Puzzle Week this November 24 to 28, here are just a few activities that can help support you and your loved one’s brain health.   

5 Fun Activities That Can Help Keep the Brain Active

1. Crosswords

Sitting down with a crossword and a cup of coffee can be a relaxing experience. But completing these classic puzzles isn’t just a good way to beat stress—it can also help challenge memory in unique ways. Specifically, the act of reading clues and recalling words requires you to think back and put your brain to work. Many clues also feature synonyms, encouraging solvers to use their knowledge of words.

2. Crafting

elderly careIn many ways, crafting is similar to completing a puzzle. For example, knitters must follow a pattern to create garments, while embroiderers create images using nothing more than unique stitching techniques. This process can help keep the brain active and provide a rewarding sense of accomplishment once the project is complete.

3. Jigsaw Puzzles

Individually, pieces of a jigsaw puzzle aren’t always recognizable. But through spatial reasoning and visual recognition, seniors can put them together to reveal unique images. Using these cognitive abilities also activates certain portions of the brain that dementia and elderly care issues can affect.

4. Trivia

Despite being a popular activity at bars across the country, trivia is also something that seniors can enjoy with friends, family, and elderly care providers. Playing any trivia game requires individuals to flex their memory muscles to recall facts about sports, movies, music, geography, and other topics, all while socializing with others.

5. Sudoku

Sudoku puzzles look similar to crosswords, but instead of using letters, solvers must place numbers in a specific order so that they are not repeated in the same row or column. In addition to putting math skills to use, this activity requires people to resolve logic challenges—a task that can be a considerable workout for the brain.

 

When seniors are struggling with dementia—or striving to prevent it—Deer Valley Home Health Services can help. Serving the Berkeley, St. Charles, and St. Louis, MO regions, this elderly care agency can help connect families to skilled caregivers, including those that specialize in memory care. Whatever your needs, this team will work hard to provide you with assistance that keeps seniors active, provides them with companionship, and supports their health. To learn more about how these services can improve your loved one’s quality of life, visit this provider online. For questions about arranging care, call a team member at (314) 355-3679.

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