Playing games is an excellent way to keep the mind and body engaged and conditioned. Among the elderly, games are also an excellent way to encourage social interaction and can even help to prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
When choosing games for the elderly, it’s prudent to find games that they can participate in with relative ease and don’t compromise their safety. Here are five great options you can start with.
- Card Games
Most people have played card games throughout their lives. If you haven’t, most card games are easy enough to learn how to play in a few short sessions. Playing card games is a fantastic way of enhancing your spirit and improving your memory. There are numerous types of card games that seniors can participate in. The most common are:
- Solitaire – A famous card game with numerous variations to keep the elderly engaged for hours.
- Bridge – Also very popular and perfect when sharpening your mental skills.
- Chess and Checkers
It’s common to see the elderly playing chess and checkers at the park. It’s a favourite pass time for most of them. These remarkable games are easy and the rules are straightforward.
On the one hand, there is chess which is all about strategy and problem0-solving, it’s a great game that keeps the elderly mentally active and is also loads of fun. On the other hand, there are checkers. It’s a modified version that has simpler rules and fewer pieces.
Both games promise a fun time with far-reaching benefits that help to keep your mind and motor skills at their best. The best part about both games is they only need two players.
- Word Games
Word games are multi-faceted tools that sharpen the mind. They are fun and exciting and often make for a lot of group fun. Games like Scrabble are a great way of promoting critical thinking, problem solving, memory and creativity.
For seniors looking for more passive games, there are puzzle games like a word search or crosswords that are perfect for the older seniors who want to stay focused and improve their recall.
Whether you’re looking for single, two-player or multi-player games, you can easily find a word game that makes it easy to involve your intended group.
- Board Games
You can never go wrong with board games. More so when you’re looking to get multiple people involved at once. Some of the games may have too many pieces or rules for the older players to keep up with, but you can also select straightforward games that are easier but encourage critical thinking.
You have a vast selection of games to choose from ranging from ladders, Othello, jigsaw puzzles and chutes among others.
- Group Games
Group games are an excellent choice when you’re looking for games to play in a care facility. These games help to overcome social isolation and trigger social interactions among the elderly. Some great picks you should consider getting the elderly involved in include:
- Mah-jong – A tile game that features four players competing to create the best hand to win.
- Bingo – A long-time favourite among the elderly. It’s an interactive game with loads of excitement with numerous bingo sets that cater to seniors.
- Dominoes – Another tile-based game that has numerous variations. It’s a common city in many city parks.
Whether played alone, in pairs or in a group, a carefully selected game for the elderly can go along way in killing time and fostering life-long relationships while keeping your mind and body healthy and active.