Games to Keep Seniors' Brains From Aging

You can't actually keep a brain from growing older, but there are things you can do to help ward off cognitive deterioration. Much about brain function is still a mystery, but researchers know that the effects of aging on the brain may be slowed by maintaining active cognitive function and, specifically, through continued learning. Games can help seniors can continue to learn and maintain brain function.

Video Games

• Video games can benefit seniors too.

  Many of us don't connect video games with senior citizens, but retirement homes are making that connection, offering seniors the opportunity to play active video games such as those available on Wii and Xbox Kinect. These kinds of video games have the benefit of keeping players active, as they require them to learn. Seniors can also benefit from video games that ask them to solve problems and think quickly, such as Rise of Nations.

Bingo

• Your local senior center no doubt offers Bingo and other games, such as pinochle, on a regular basis. Playing Bingo provides an important opportunity for seniors who may be experiencing some loneliness to socialize. According to the National Institute on Aging, seniors who are involved in social activities may live longer than seniors who live lonelier lives, so games that provide socialization opportunities have additional benefits.

Ping Pong

• Active games for seniors may include ping pong and pool.

  Along with eating well, staying active is one of the most important components of a healthy senior lifestyle, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. Seniors may enjoy active indoor games, such as ping pong and pool, or outdoors activities, such as croquet or shuffleboard. Staying active also helps keep the brain from aging.

Solitaire

• Single-person card games can help keep seniors busy on lonely days.

  Socializing is an important part of senior health, but there are days when the weather or other circumstances keep a senior at home and maybe alone. At these times, playing games alone may help keep depression at bay by preventing a senior from focusing on sad or negative things. Single-person games such as solitaire, word games such as word searches and unscrambles, or number games like suduku are good substitutes for group games, as long as they are only a temporarily solution. These single-person games may still be useful for helping to help keep senior brains from aging.