RetirementHomes.com - Games and Puzzles

What are the best games for seniors?

aadmin — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 18:22:26 +0000

Fun games for senior citizens can improve your memory and help you to socialize with others both young and old. Games can be a stimulator for your mind and also allows muscle movement to your body. It is also a great way for you to turn a boring day into a day of fun and excitement. Remembering that everyone is different will help you be sure to find fun games that everyone will enjoy.

While finding fun games for senior citizens can be a bit challenging at first, once you do your research you will see that finding fun games for seniors is a piece of cake. Fun games, whether they are board games, sing-a-longs, or games that require you to move your muscles can be fun and stimulating. Games can also helps you to enjoy your golden years. Below are a few fun games for senior citizens to enjoy whether you are a retiree or in an assisted living program.

Bingo – We all remember how much we loved Bingo growing up. Bingo is fun no matter what your age. With a few friends, Bingo can last for hours giving you and your friends a day of enjoyment. Make sure the cards are large enough to allow you the ability to pick them up, maneuver them and see them.
Sing-A-Long – Have a sing-a-long and take turns adding something different to the ending of the song. This stimulates the mind and is fun for everyone. Using songs seniors are familiar with makes the sing-a-long a blast.
Game Shows – Recreate television game shows that you enjoy watching on TV. This will be fun and it allows you to take turns acting out the role of the game show host. It also makes you use your thinking cap.
Board Games – Seniors love fun games as Chess, Checkers, Dominoes and Bridge. These games can be enjoyed by seniors of all ages and adds to hours of fun.
Solitaire – Solitaire is fun game for seniors that wants to enjoy playing games by themselves.

There are so many more games for seniors to enjoy. All it takes is a little time and planning. Make sure the games are not too long and allow you to get bored and also make sure the games are not intimidating.

Making game day a weekly or monthly event will give seniors something to look forward to. Inviting family members to join in on the fun of game day can be something to look forward to!

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Entertainment and Hobbies

Games and Puzzles

Researchers say video games may boost seniors' mental health

aadmin — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 13:00:26 +0000

Video games may seem like all fun and - well, games - but behind the racing cars and the fighting monsters, video games is just business; a very big business.

According to the Entertainment Software Association, a Washington, DC-based industry group, video games are about a 25-30 billion dollar annual business.

And with an industry that large, there is a lot of room for niche industries, including a growing segment of video games specifically tailored for older people.

One of the most well-known video games popular with seniors is Wii, a console made by Nintendo and first introduced in 2007.

The Wii requires users to physically engage with the console in order to play the games.

Another console, the Microsoft-produced Xbox Kinect, works on a similar basis, with a motion-detecting sensor for its video games.

And although these consoles were not specifically designed for use by seniors, older people represent a significant portion of these markets, and experts say these games may offer seniors the opportunity to boost not just their physical health, but also their emotional well-being.

This past March, researchers from the North Carolina State University (NCSU) reported that seniors who played video games were more likely to say they were emotionally happy than their peers who did not play video games.

“The research published here suggests that there a link between gaming and better well-being and emotional functioning,” Dr. Jason Allaire, associate professor of psychology at NCSU, one of the authors of the report, said in a statement. “We are currently planning studies to determine whether playing digital games actually improves mental health in older adults,” Allaire said.

In the study, researchers spoke with 140 people aged 63 and older, and asked them how often they played video games, and then evaluated their emotional security. Thirty-five per cent of respondents said they play video games at least weekly, and 61 per cent said they play video games on at least an occasional basis.

Among respondents who said they play video games regularly, researchers found they were more likely to have higher levels of emotional satisfaction and happiness, while their peers who did not play video games regularly were more likely to exhibit signs of depression.
The research paper was published in the academic journal Computers in Human Behavior.

While researchers said they cannot claim video games are likely to help seniors’ emotional well-being, there is a strong correlation between the two.

What do you think? Do video games help improve seniors’ emotions? Tell us in the comment section below:

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Entertainment and Hobbies

Games and Puzzles

Sudoku for Seniors is still a Puzzle

aadmin — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:50:29 +0000

Millions of dollars of research have gone into unlocking the mysteries of Sudoku and crosswords in keeping active and intact the minds of seniors. Many older adults attest that these puzzle games help them maintain nimble minds that would become unused in assisted living and continuing care residences.

But scientists remain skeptical about these testimonials. In Two Regular Guys Talking about Food, Exercise and Men's Health, mental fitness programs are deemed as a small part of the solution.

Professor Sam Wang, Ph.D. Molecular Molecular Biology and Neuroscience, Princeton University, told the media source that,“unless the activities that you’re practicing span a broad spectrum of abilities, then there is not a proven general benefit to these mental fitness programs. So, the idea that any single brain exercise program late in life can act as a quick fix for general mental function is almost entirely faith-based.”

Moderate exercise, especially walking brings much-needed blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Puzzles and mental games are unproven in helping increase brain activity. Still, researchers find credit in Sudoku and crosswords despite lack of scientific proof. Both intellectual and physical activities are good for the heart and mind.

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Games and Puzzles

Brain exercises could alleviate symptoms of dementia

aadmin — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:04:08 +0000

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine say that working out one's brain could help to delay the onset of memory problems that can necessitate dementia care.

Nearly 500 elderly people were followed by the scientists over roughly five years and they reported their daily activities including completing puzzles, playing board games and other hobbies.

They found that memory loss started accelerating rapidly at a later time for those who engaged in more frequent activities, especially those that occurred on a daily basis.

"The point of accelerated decline was delayed by 1.29 years for the person who participated in 11 activities per week compared to the person who participated in only four activities per week," noted study author Dr Charles Hall.

The benefits of adding a smaller number of games or other leisurely pursuits were also noted, with each one prolonging the development of symptoms by more than two months.

"The effect of these activities in late life appears to be independent of education," added Hall.

He hypothesizes that "activities might help maintain brain vitality."

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Goalie spurs healthy lifestyle choices by seniors

aadmin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:04:08 +0000

It may have been a short trip for Carlo Cudicini when he competed against a group from a local older person housing schme using a Wii Fit at White Hart Lane, but the footballer said their fitness may be "even more essential" than his.

The Tottenham Hotspur keeper was there, using the video game system to help promote the club's Project HOPE, helping older people exercise and challenging his visitors

in several games like bowling.

Tottenham, along with 15 other clubs, is a participant in the Extra Time initiative, funded by Sport Relief and the Football Foundation to help older people understand the benefits that exercise may have for their bodies and mind.

"In some ways, it is even more essential that older people look after themselves properly [than a footballer like me], and the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation's HOPE project is a great way of giving many that opportunity," said Cudicini.

The success of the program in its pilot stage has led to the two foundations to expand its reach, calling for more clubs to take part in helping to re-establish social circles and healthy habits among older people in Britain.

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Games and Puzzles