We haven’t had too many April showers…but we already have May flowers here in Chicagoland. Happy Spring to all! We hope you all have been able to soak in the sunshine and the lovely spring weather we’ve been having.
While on her rounds visiting our caregivers and clients this month, our Care Manager came to visit a happy client and caregiver pair who were playing a card game together… and of course we were charmed! While our number one priority at Assisting Hands is the safety of our seniors, and helping them with the necessary activities of daily living so they can continue to live independently in their homes, the complete wellbeing of our clients includes so much more than our daily tasks. Our caregivers are also with their seniors to bring joy!
To that enjoyable end, we thought we would put together a list of game ideas to get thinking about some fun activities that caregivers, family members, friends and anyone can play with their seniors!
Naturally all of our seniors will have different tastes and different abilities, so this brainstorm list has options for all levels and preferences…give a few of them a try!
Dominoes
Dominoes are simply a classic! You may want to start with the basics to get your bearings and then expand to other games! This website has a wealth of information about rules and a full list of games.
Here are the rules for the basic game, Straight Dominoes, to try out first.
And here are the rules for my recommended game, Mexican Train! It is a game I have fond memories of playing with my Grandparents.
Card Games
Card games are an easy way to get playing; there are so many options and so many quick and simple card games. Here is a link with some 2 player card games.
My recommendations would be Go Fish or Gin Rummy, two classics! Or why not try tackling a game of solitaire…together! That is a great way to work as a team with your senior and to do something together to get chatting and engaging.
Board Games
Why not pull out that old stack of board games in the back closet and bring back some memories of family game night. You may want to try whatever you have on hand, whether that is Monopoly, Scrabble, Battleship, Scattergories, Trivial Pursuit, Checkers or Clue.
Or, if you are looking for something new, some newer senior-recommended games to add to your stash might be:
- Bananagrams
- Boggle
- Ticket to Ride
- Hive
- Qwirkle
- Cranium
Don’t be afraid to make it simple or even make up your own rules if the game gets too complicated. The idea is to have a good time, so try them however you would like. Don’t feel any pressure to finish a game either, just get out there and play! You can always come back to it.
One Player Games…for Two!
There are plenty of other activities that you can get up to where you and your senior can work together to create something!
- Jigsaw Puzzle. A puzzle is an activity that you can work on for a while or even just for a few minutes!
- Crossword
- Word Search. You can find free crossword puzzles and word search print-outs online.
- Coloring Books and Sticker Books. These days you can easily find adult coloring books and adult sticker books if your senior wants something classy!
- Poetry Word Tiles. Sit and make up poetry together by arranging words on little word tiles!
We hope these ideas can get your creative minds thinking about what you and your senior might enjoy. Don’t forget to keep it fun and keep it personal. Find what appeals to you both. And remember, you are never too old to play!
