When most people think about Parkinson’s disease, they think about the physical symptoms, such as muscle stiffness and weakness in the limbs. However, the disease also causes cognitive symptoms that affect thinking and reasoning abilities. In the later stages of the disease, many older adults develop dementia. You can offset these changes by using these five games to stimulate your senior loved one’s brain.
Memory or Concentration Card Games
Memory games are critical for preserving the synapses in the brain that help people recall important information. Pull out those old favorite childhood card games, such as Concentration. While trying to find matches among the cards, your loved one will need to rely on his or her short-term memory.
Charades
Slowed thinking is common in seniors with Parkinson’s. Over time, your loved one may find it difficult to quickly recall important information or come up with the words for specific objects. Games such as charades and Pictionary require thinking on the spot. As an added bonus, they also strengthen vocabulary retention.
A professional caregiver may be a wonderful game-playing partner for a senior with Parkinson’s. If your aging loved one is living with a serious medical condition and needs help managing the tasks of daily living, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a senior care agency you may trust. Our caregivers are available 24 hour home care, Columbus there are no hidden fees in our contracts, and we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our in-home care services.
Lumosity
This app offers many different brain-training games designed to help people preserve their memory and executive functioning. Your loved one can play these games alone to keep his or her mind occupied while you handle other tasks, or you could encourage taking turns with a caregiver. If Lumosity isn’t available on your loved one’s device, look for a similar app. Learning how to use technology to play a game also strengthens the ability to learn new skills.
Many seniors in the early stages of Parkinson’s are able to live on their own, but they may need a bit of help with the everyday tasks of life, such as exercising and preparing nutritious meals. Aging adults who require assistance with the tasks of daily living may benefit from reliable homecare services. Columbus, OH, families trust Assisting Hands Home Care to provide the high-quality care their senior loved ones need and deserve. Our caregivers are trained to help seniors prevent and manage serious illnesses and encourage them to make healthier decisions as they age.
Scrabble
This classic board game is a favorite among people who love words, and your loved one may have played it many times in the past. Playing Scrabble may help your loved one develop the ability to quickly think of words and remember how to spell them. Over time, strengthening your loved one’s oral and written vocabulary may help him or her communicate better with you and other caregivers.
Simon Says
This game incorporates physical movement that’s beneficial for stimulating blood flow to the brain. It may also make your loved one focus harder on what you’re saying, which is a great way to combat the loss of concentration many seniors with Parkinson’s disease experience. As you call out instructions and your loved one performs the movements, he or she may also strengthen his or her multitasking abilities. Keep in mind you should only call out directions your loved one can perform safely and easily, such as walking three steps forward rather than having to hop on one foot. You can also make this game much more fun by including other adults, which adds an additional mental boost with conversation.
Mobility issues in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease can make caring for aging loved ones increasingly challenging. If you’re the primary family caregiver for a senior loved one living in Columbus, in-home care is available if your loved one’s health has become too difficult to manage without professional expertise. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we take measures to help seniors prevent illness and injury by assisting with exercise and mobility, preparing nutritious meals, helping with bathing and other personal hygiene tasks, and much more. Trust Assisting Hands Home Care to provide high-quality compassionate professional care for your loved one. Call one of our friendly Care Managers today at 614-678-5887.
