Activities That Stimulate Cognition in the Elderly

Cognition is how the brain processes thoughts, perception and recognition as well as how the brain learns, remembers and solves problems. As people age, cognitive processes of the brain can become damaged by disorders and diseases, such as dementia and Alzheimer's. According to the Franklin Institute, mental and physical stimulation can improve brain functions and protect against cognitive decline.

Mental Exercise

• Most people know that physical exercise strengthens the body and the mind through increased blood flow to vital organs. Some elderly people may think physical exercise is not possible for them, but this may not be true. A study performed by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation shows that a muscle can be strengthened just by thinking about it.

  Dr. Vinoth Ranganathan and his team tested a group of 30 people by having them think about exercising a certain muscle, such as the pinky finger. After 12 weeks participants showed a 35 percent increase in the strength of the pinky muscle. In addition, brain scans showed greater and more focused activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, the part responsible for cognitive skills. Dr. Ranaganathan concluded that muscle strength, including the brain, was due to improvements in the brain's ability to signal muscle.

Physical Exercise

• A five-year study at the Laval University in Sainte-Foy, Quebec shows that physical exercise lowers a person's chances of developing Alzheimer's disease by 50 percent. Researchers concluded that physical exercise protects the brain and its mental processes. The study showed that those who performed vigorous physical exercise three times per week had the best results. Even those who performed light exercise sessions significantly reduced their risk of mental decline.

Communication groups

• Communication among a group of peers, including fellow nursing home residents, can increase cognitive and expressive functioning. Group activities can be led by a staff volunteer who plans daily activities, such as asking questions that will stimulate long-term memory.

  Short-term memory games, such as "In my suitcase," are played by starting a sentence and having each person in the group add to the sentence. For example, the leader could say, "I am planning a trip to Hawaii, I will need to pack..." The next person will repeat the starter sentence and add an item to be packed. The next person repeats everything the previous person said, plus adds an article of their own to be packed, and so on.