8 memory games for older adults

Old age is one of the stages of development that presents the most specific needs, in view of the fact that when people reach senescence they begin to have a physical and neurological wear.

In this article we will see a list of memory games for older adults, which can be useful in caring for these people, providing fun activities to spend a pleasant time with them while stimulating their mind.

• Related article: "Types of memory: how does the human brain store memories?"

The most entertaining memory games for older adults

Family members or caregivers should try to give older people the best possible quality of life. A good way to do it is keep them socially active and stimulate their memory in order to delay cognitive wear.

In this way, it is possible to stimulate the neuron tissues so that the nerve cells create more connections between them, so that memories are accessible from more than one path of thought. In short, memory games for older adults promote the fact that neurons communicate among them in different ways than the environment and the person's usual day-to-day life promote communicate.

For it takes advantage of what is known as neuronal plasticity, the brain's ability to adapt to novel situations by modifying its functioning and, at the microscopic level, also its morphology (in terms of the neural networks that compose it). This is a property that we maintain throughout life.

Thus, engaging in activities that require the use of memory is a challenge that brings parts of the brain that were previously relatively isolated into contact with each other.

Let's look at some ways to do it.

1. Board Games

Board games provide the adult in the old age phase a source of meaningful social contact. This is important, as people in this stage of life generally tend to isolate themselves. All board games allow older adults to feel useful and taken into account by others, in addition to stimulating their memory.

In this case, the level of cognitive stimulation will depend on the board game that is implemented. Some good alternatives are always games like dominoes and cards.

The game of chess is the best alternative, taking into account that people who practice this sport have a higher level of memory and concentration even after reaching old age.

• You may be interested: "The 3 phases of old age, and their physical and psychological changes"

2. The game of "I see, I see"

It consists of selecting an object with your eyes and telling the other participants by which letter the object we have chosen begins, according to So that those looking around have to discover what it is, taking into account the objects that are nearby and the clue that we have dice.

This is one of the memory games for older people who have moved further into old age, and serves to stimulate memory related to language.

3. Memory game with cards

It involves placing the cards that make up the game face down, each card having an identical pair.

The first to play will flip two and see if they match, and if so, he will set them aside for him. Next the second player will repeat this procedure, and at the end of the game whoever has the most pairs will win. It is one of the most versatile memory games, and can be adapted for people of any age.

4. The game of forming words

It is one of the best alternatives to exercise memory in the elderly, especially in relation to the ability to speak and write.

Is about place a letter inside a board with several squares; then the older adult must form as many words as he can without repeating them.

5. The game of "Simon Says"

This game adapted to the needs of old age is also of great help to keep your mental processes active. Can be played with three or more people.

One of the participants will be called "Simon" and the others must do what he orders, as long as he uses the phrase "Simon says" before giving the order.

For example, when saying "Simon says raise your left arm" everyone should do it. But, if instead he only says "raise your left arm" then neither should do anything, or you will end up disqualified.

6. Find the differences

This game consists of placing two images that at first glance seem the same, but differ in some details. The participant must carefully observe the two figures and say what the specific differences are in each of them.

The size of the figures should be taken into account before starting the game, and that older people often have visual difficulties.

7. Complete sentences

It is one of the most entertaining games when it comes to playing it with older adults, taking into account that these many of them tend to know a large number of sayings.

The idea of ​​the game is to place unfinished sentences in a container and draw them at random. Once read aloud the other participant must complete the sentence, then it will be the turn of the next and in the end whoever manages to complete more sentences in less time will win.

8. Assemble puzzles

It is par excellence one of the best games for memory and concentration most famous.

When we use it to stimulate the memory of older adults, we must take into account several factors, such as the number of pieces of the puzzle (they should not be too many), that sustained care in old age is not so long, and that the size of the pieces must be large so that the person can distinguish them with clarity.

Finally, the reason for the puzzle should not be something very abstract, to avoid that the player can become confused and not want to continue playing.

Bibliographic references:

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• Moscovitch, M. (2007) Memory: Why the engram is elusive? In: Roediger, H. L., Dudai, Y. and Fitzpatrick S. M., eds. Science of Memory: Concepts. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 17 - 21.
• Keller, T.A.; Just, M.A. (2016). Structural and functional neuroplasticity in human learning of spatial routes. NeuroImage.
• Schwabe L.; Wolf O.T. (2010). Learning under stress impairs memory formation. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. 93 (2): 183–188.
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• Woods, B., O'Philbin, L., Farrell, E.M., Spector, A.E., Orrell, M. (2018). Reminiscence therapy for dementia. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 3: CD001120.