Ideal Brain Games for a Loved One with Parkinson’s

By 8  am on

When it comes to Parkinson’s, it’s imperative to focus on your senior loved one’s cognitive health as well as his or her motor skills. Therefore, you should look for a variety of fun brain exercises that keep your loved one occupied and slow the progression of the disease. Below are brain games seniors with Parkinson’s should take up and the benefits of each activity. 

Scrabble

It’s common for older adults with Parkinson’s to have difficulty moving their mouth muscles. A decrease in fine motor skills could be due to cognitive impairment. The neurodegenerative disorder prevents certain areas of the brain from functioning, including those parts that control how seniors move and react in specific situations, which could impact the way they speak and convey emotion or how their memories work.  Brain games such as Scrabble can boost language skills and help seniors communicate better with their friends and family caregivers. While playing Scrabble, your loved one can stimulate his or her brain and increase his or her attention span by thinking of words quickly and spelling them out.  A professional caregiver can be a wonderful game-playing partner for a senior with Parkinson’s. If your elderly loved one is living with a serious medical condition and needs help managing the tasks of daily living, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a homecare services agency you can trust. Our caregivers are available 24/7, there are no hidden fees in our contracts, and we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our in-home care services.

Solitaire

Seniors with Parkinson’s need to keep their minds busy to prevent issues such as slowed thinking, which is common in older adults with this disease. Brain games such as solitaire provide many cognitive and mental benefits to seniors with the neurodegenerative disorder. To play this game, your loved one will need to find matches among the cards by relying on short-term memory.  Games such as solitaire can preserve synapses in the brain that are affected by Parkinson’s, helping your loved one recall important information. Thanks to modern technology, your parent can play the game online with other players, which could enhance his or her mood and reduce the risk of depression.  Many seniors in the early stages of Parkinson’s are able to live on their own, but they may need help with the everyday tasks of life, such as exercising and preparing nutritious meals. Aging adults who require assistance with the tasks of daily living can benefit from reliable senior care. Des Moines, IA, families trust Home Care Assistance to provide the high-quality care their elderly loved ones need and deserve. Our caregivers are trained to help seniors prevent and manage serious illnesses and encourage them to make healthier decisions as they age.

Lumosity

It’s vital to find games that help seniors with Parkinson’s preserve their executive functioning and memory. Lumosity is an excellent choice because it keeps seniors occupied and strengthens their learning abilities. Your loved one must use his or her focusing skills and problem-solving abilities when playing this brain-training game.  Adding this game to your loved one’s weekly activities could preserve his or her brain health and increase his or her ability to remain independent for longer. Lumosity is available for use with most smartphones, tablets, and laptops. 

Word Searches

Finding the hidden words in these puzzles can provide the cognitive stimulation your loved one needs to slow the progression of Parkinson’s. The cognitive functions most impacted by the disease include processing speed, visuospatial skills, attention span, and language. However, brain activities such as word searches could boost your loved one’s semantic memory and reasoning skills.  You can customize word searches based on your loved one’s cognitive abilities. Although the game should offer a challenge, it shouldn’t be too difficult to play because the frustration could increase stress levels. If you’re the primary family caregiver for a senior loved one living in Des Moines, live-in care is available if your loved one’s health has become too difficult to manage without professional expertise. At Home Care Assistance, we take measures to help seniors prevent illness and injury by assisting with exercise and mobility, preparing nutritious meals, helping with bathing and other personal hygiene tasks, and much more. To learn more about our highly trained caregivers, call us at [hca phone].

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG

    Request Free Information or
    Schedule a Free in-Home Consultation