From children to senior citizens, everyone loves a board game. That’s why many of Capital Senior Living’s Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care communities across the country offer activity centers or game rooms where residents can challenge their neighbors or visitors to a friendly competition.
Games may be very entertaining for seniors, their friends and their children and grandchildren, but they also have major health benefits such as relieving stress and combating memory loss and depression. A British Medical Journal study notes that the risk of dementia was 15 percent lower in board game players than in non-players. Board games can enhance memory formation and help exercise cognitive skills. A lot of games also tend to be low stress and can be calming, helping lower blood pressure. In many instances, games require some coordination and hand dexterity, which can be important for aging adults.
There are plenty of games out there, and selecting the perfect one for you and your senior can be difficult. But we’ve narrowed it down to a few of the classics while adding in a few that are modern so you can be nostalgic and create new memories. Each game requires a different skill and offers various levels of entertainment and health benefit.
The Classics
Chances are, you’ve played these games as a child because most have been around for a long time. The benefit of classic games is that they are well-known, often played and easily accessible. The learning curve tends to be non-existent, and a simple refresher course on rules is a lot easier than explaining a brand-new game.
Modern Board Games
Although classics can be fun, it’s important to mix it up with something new. Board games have had a resurgence in the last decade, and a new collection is just waiting to be discovered. The good news is a majority of modern games feature rules similar to classic games while putting a fun new spin on them.
The most important thing to remember with any game is to have a good time. Have patience when teaching your senior loved one a new game.
Sources: Six Wise, British Medical Journal, Help Guide
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