January is International Brain Teaser Month. Consider brain teasers as workout sessions for the brain. As you provide care for y your aging loved one, you can help her keep her brain sharp by providing plenty of opportunities for her to play some brain teaser games. Research has shown that individuals who participate in brain games have a cognitive function that is 10 years younger than their physical age. That alone should provide an incentive for your loved one, but brain teaser games are not only beneficial to brain health, they can also be a lot of fun!

Looking for ideas of brain teaser games to have available for your loved one? Here are some traditional games that do a brain good!

Solitaire

All you need for this game is a deck of cards. Your loved one can play this game wherever she can find a flat surface to lay the cards out. Solitaire works out the brain by helping it recognize patterns as well as helping your loved one remember the steps and rules of a game. It’s one of the few card games that doesn’t need a partner. If your loved one would prefer to play cards with a visitor, such as someone on her home care assistance team, there are plenty of card games that can also stimulate the brain. Even a simple game like UNO can keep the brain sharp.

Chess or Checkers

Both of these are also low-tech games that require a place to sit, a table, and a game board. They both also require a partner, so they’re great games for home care assistance providers to join your loved one. Chess is a strategic game that requires the brain to think ahead and make step-by-step plans to reach a determined goal. It can also develop patience, as it can take many little steps to reach that goal.

Checkers on the other hand, still requires strategy but works more quickly (keeping that brain limber) and helps boost hand-eye coordination as pieces are moved all over the board.

Both games are often sold with large, adaptive pieces if your loved one struggles to hold and move tiny pieces. And if there’s no one to play with, they both are offered online as computer games as well, where your loved one can play against the computer.

Crosswords, Word Finds, and Suduko

These low-tech games played on paper are wonderfully portable and easy to play. Have your home care assistance provider pack a book of them in your loved one’s travel bag or purse for when outtings have long waits, such as at doctor’s offices, or even a long trip like a flight or train ride.

Trivia

Your loved one can play board games that are trivia based, play computer games that are trivia related, or you can even just ask trivia questions back and forth when taking a long car ride somewhere. Trivia games are great at encouraging the brain to seek out answers that may be stored deep within it.

January is a great month to introduce some new brain teaser games to your loved one.

Source
https://www.healthiq.com/blog/brain-boosting-benefits-of-crossword-puzzles/

If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Home Care Assistance in Pinellas Park, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.