BRAIN GAMES

Brain Games for Alzheimer's Patients

Dementia is nothing but the aging of brain cells, which gradually stop functioning. To prevent the early aging of the cells of the brain, all we need to do is to keep the brain as active and stimulated as possible. But how can you keep your brain engaged and active? What amounts to optimum mental stimulation? Games are an easy and fun way to exercise your gray matter and keep it active. Research has shown that certain games can help improve memory skills and combat memory loss in patients with Alzheimer's. So, if you have a loved one who is suffering from Alzheimer's, then not only can you help him deal with the forgetfulness but also you can interact with him in a loving way, with memory games for Alzheimer's patients.

Find the Pair
This is an interesting game that can be played with the help of picture cards. Get picture cards that have pairs of pictures in them. Now, place the cards face down. Let the player pick up cards one by one, see the picture and then place it down again. The objective is to find all the pairs as soon as possible. To do this, the player must remember which picture he saw where, so that when he turns over a card to find a pair of an image he has already seen, he must be able to find the card on which he saw it first. To begin with, have a small numbers of cards and as the person improves, you can add to the number of cards.

Repeat the List
This is a game we all have played at some point during our childhood and this can be an interesting activity for Alzheimer's patients. Begin with a small group of two or four people. One player starts the game by saying a word. Now, the second player in the group says the word spoken by the first player and adds another to it. This way, a list of words is created and every player has to say each word of the list in every turn and add a new word to it. This a good memory game that requires the players to concentrate. You can begin with words that are similar like, for example, names of fruits or flowers, etc and later on, play using random words. Another way to play the same game is to have your loved one look at a list of words and then ask him to write down as many as he can remember.

Jigsaw Puzzles
Playing jigsaw puzzles is another way to improve memory power and retaining the memory of Alzheimer's patients. Start with puzzles that are simple, with pieces that are bigger and fewer in number. Let the person suffering from Alzheimer's disease, have a look at the complete picture and then you can sit with the person as he reassembles the pieces. During the game, you can help your loved one, if needed.

Spot the Difference
This is a simple yet useful memory exercise. Get pairs of pictures that are seemingly identical except for small minute differences. Begin by showing one of the pictures to Alzheimer's patient and ask him to observe it carefully. Once he is done, take it away and show him the other picture. Now ask him to spot as many differences as he can remember.