It’s difficult to watch a loved one lose his or her memory. Although at times we wish we lived nearer to our loved ones, it is not possible to always drop everything and attend to the family member you’re taking care of. However, what we can do is to introduce them to games that can improve their memory or delay it from fading – even if you cannot be present physically. Games are highly enjoyable and an excellent way to spend quality time together with family members. Here are four memory games you can try with your loved one.
Name That Tune
Your loved one could feel a little silly when he or she plays this game for the first time, but this game helps in many ways once he or she gets used to it. What you need to simply do is sing a familiar song and let your loved one guess the song title! This helps train long-term memory and works really well if you live far from your loved one because the game can be played over the phone.
Puzzles
A variety of traditional puzzles are commonly available on the market and can strengthen general mind power and memory:
- Sudoku puzzles are easy to use and helpful in improving and maintaining the cognitive function of people, young or old.
- Rubik’s Cube — Encourage your loved one to try solving the Rubik’s Cube from time to time, even if you cannot be present. Ensure she can play it in places where she loves to relax.
- Brain teasers —If your loved one uses the email or internet, there are many fun brain teasers that can be accessed online. You can even source a couple of good ones yourself and share them with your loved one over email once or twice a week.
- Crossword puzzles — Some of these crossword puzzles are helpful if they’re challenging. If your loved one is great at this game, challenge her to complete the next one within a time limit, or provide her with more difficult puzzles gradually.
Item Shift
This game is ideal for those who can generally move around ease. Here’s how it goes: ask her take a good look around a space or room she’s familiar with. Then, she would have to leave the space for a few minutes while you shift two to three items around. When she returns, ask her to notice which items you moved. While this game needs to be played in person, it’s great practice for short-term memory, meaning your loved one could remember better where she put her belongings around the house.
Board Games
Many mentally stimulating board games are available today! If your loved one is great in the games you’ve played thus far, gently push him or her to try more difficult games. For instance, a good game of chess does an excellent job of keeping anyone’s mind sharp. But if that’s too difficult, you can perhaps try Chutes And Ladders, a simple but fun children’s game.
You might be surprised by how much all the games help if your loved one is having difficulties remembering things. You can play many of these games with them from a distance. If you would like your loved one to get additional assistance because you live far away from him or her, please contact us. We’ll be happy to assist with every aspect of daily living in which your loved one needs support in.
