Four Ways Chess and Brain Games Benefit Seniors

Did you know “brain games” such as chess, bridge, and word puzzles may help seniors keep their minds sharp? Researchers say these fun, challenging, and engaging activities have a significant positive impact on mental function, which can be especially beneficial for older adults as they age. Plus, puzzles and games can provide a range of social and emotional benefits.

Here are four ways brain games can improve cognitive function and overall well-being for seniors:

Brain Games May Help Seniors Advance Their Thinking Skills

As part of the normal aging process, the mind may slow down in minor ways.

Common signs of cognitive decline include:

• Memory not as sharp
• Planning skills suffer
• Diminishing vocabulary
• Reduced processing speed
• Slower reaction times

However, brain games can prevent normal age-related mental decline in a similar way to how exercise prevents muscle loss. Many elderly individuals, particularly those who are retired, no longer use their minds in the same way they did when they were younger. Brain games can combat this cognitive decline, re-engage the mind, and improve thinking skills.

Experts also recommend regularly changing the games played. Familiar activities may not have the same protective effect as learning to master a new one.

Brain Games May Have a Positive Social and Emotional Impact

For seniors who have trouble with stress and anxiety, games can be a great coping mechanism. Refocusing the mind by strategizing how to checkmate an opponent or finish a word puzzle can reduce stress and relieve daily anxieties.

Many seniors also find games relaxing and enjoyable. Often, these activities can be incorporated into a calming, predictable routine — such as working on a jigsaw puzzle after dinner or solving the crossword puzzle in the Sunday edition of the local newspaper.

Games can also help seniors socialize. Older adults can become isolated from their communities, and they can suffer from senior loneliness and depression. Seniors can resist this by joining a chess club, having a card night with friends, or working on a jigsaw puzzle with a group. This will help them stay connected to their communities and improve their mood along with their thinking skills.

Brain Games Can Help Seniors Connect with Their Loved Ones

Brain games may provide an opportunity to connect with family members, such as grandchildren who enjoy riddles or adult children who enjoy crossword puzzles or chess.

Many of these activities can now be played online, enabling family and friends who live in other provinces to participate in the fun times together.

Learning a New Skill May Provide Health and Wellness Benefits

Other options are available to keep aging minds healthy and engaged. Experts recommend hobbies such as learning photography or another language. Finding new, challenging-but-enjoyable mental tasks and learning to master them will help keep the mind young.

Physical exercise may also prevent age-related cognitive decline by boosting blood flow to the brain and keeping the mind in shape. For best results, experts recommend a mix of regular intellectual and physical exercise.

Thought-provoking games like chess or word puzzles are easy to acquire and learn. Although it’s never too late to engage the mind, the best time to start benefitting from brain games is today.

At Senior Home Care by Angels, our caregivers are compassionate companions to seniors and can keep your loved one company as they enjoy their favourite brain-stimulating activities. For example, our caregivers can help your loved one complete a puzzle or plays a few rounds of chess. When we provide in-home care, we focus on the client's needs for mental stimulation and social interaction, as well as their physical needs. This helps our clients age in place safely and comfortably.

Contact your local Senior Home Care by Angels office today to schedule an in-home consultation!