National Train Your Brain Day: Brain Games for Seniors
The older we get, the more important it is to keep moving. We stretch, we swim, do yoga, play golf, and ride bikes. We stay as active as we can, as often as we can. But there is one body part that needs a different kind of workout. It’s the part that coordinates the efforts of all the other parts and keeps us sharp and engaged.
Think about that critical space between your ears. Yes, the key word is think.
Nourishing our brains requires a special set of mental exercises that challenge and enhance our cognitive skills. That’s what National Train Your Brain Day is all about. Created to call attention to and honor the power of the mind, National Train Your Brain Day reminds us to use it – so we don’t lose it. Though it is officially a one-day event on October 13, the idea is to inspire us to integrate some brain training into our everyday routine.
Check out this list of brain activities and get those wheels turning.
Crossword Puzzles
Save a few minutes a day to solve a crossword puzzle. They come in all shapes and sizes, even in big print for seniors. Crosswords are great for boosting memory and concentration skills. If you like word games but the crossword doesn’t float your boat, try Sudoku or word search games which can be equally beneficial.
A Word a Day
Sounds so simple, but learning a new word every day can expand the brain’s language centers – and impress your friends at Happy Hour.
Parlez-Vous Francais? Hablas Espanol?
Learning a foreign language can awaken thinking and memory centers as well as improve executive function.
Play Games Online
There are tons of websites like Lumosity, Cognifit, Sharpbrains and BrainHG which offer challenging word math, and problem-solving games. They have free daily games but a much larger range of activities for those willing to cough up a subscription fee – which includes a computerized voice exclaiming “good job!”
Jigsaw Puzzles
Want to give your visual-spatial working memory a nudge? Don’t we all. According to a study in Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience, a journal of geriatrics and gerontology, figuring out even an easy jigsaw puzzle is just what the neurologist ordered for tapping into multiple cognitive abilities.
Deal Yourself In
Shuffle the canasta or bridge cards - or the Mah Jongg tiles - and get a great brain workout while having fun with friends. You may lose a quarter but the brain exercise will make you a winner.
Take a Class
Is there a subject you’ve always wanted to pursue but never had the time – until now? Nothing gets the brain working like learning something new. Reading, discussing, and processing new information will help with focus, memory, and comprehension.
Let’s Dance
Learning new dance moves will challenge the mind as well as the body. Remembering sequences of movements and coordinating with a partner requires tactile, visual, motor, and auditory skills. And there is the added cardiovascular benefit.
In Your Own Words
Recalling the stories of your life in a journal is a great way to activate memory and get the creativity flowing.
Play With the Grandkids
The ultimate brain workout is keeping up with the grandkids. Reading, telling stories, building Lego cities, and helping the bigger kids with their homework will build relationships and brain power. You can’t find a better dual purpose than that.
Your Brain Will Thank You
Whether you are playing cards, or taking class, or learning a new dance step, engaging in brain training in a group setting has the added advantage of social interaction. With that in mind, Overture's premier senior apartment living communities are committed to providing unlimited opportunities that combine the best of both social connection and intellectual enrichment. Book a tour today.
Exercising your brain is the gift that keeps on giving. Sounds like, well…a no brainer.