Top 7 Activities And Games Provided By Assisted Living For Their Residents

Know all about the Top 7 Activities and Games Provided by Assisted Living for their Residents.

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07 October 2024 4:41 PM
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Top 7 Activities And Games Provided By Assisted Living For Their Residents

For seniors who are suffering from memory-related or health-related disorders, it is imperative to look for activities that can keep them active. There have been numerous studies on this subject which have shown how brain and physical games are quite useful in maintaining the body and mind's strength. 

Few other studies have shown that these games also help in lowering the risk of memory issues like dementia and encourages independence. Here we have taken the top 7 games and activities that seniors can use to keep their body active. 

Games and Activities that are Beneficial for Seniors

Elders residing in assisted living and memory care facilities have a daily routine to follow where physical activities are given top priortiy. Here is a list of top games that these facilities have to offer:

1. Puzzles and Brain Games

Cognitive-stimulating exercises can be very helpful in keeping the minds of elderly patients sharp and slowing down their decay. Others include jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, sudoku, and word searches, each with its relative cognitive effects on memory, solving, and detail attention.

Engaging oneself with these functions daily helps challenge the brain of the senior and keep it active. 

These puzzles can help improve someone's ability to recall, be quick in problem-solving skills, and be keen on many minute details. Making these activities a part of their daily routine could cause a colossal difference in their cognitive health and quality of life.

2. Physical Activities

Maintaining physical activity is crucial for seniors with health disorders, even if their movement is limited. For elders living in assisted living with memory care facilities, gentle exercises are part of their curriculum that is introduced to help them improve mobility, balance, and coordination while also providing mental stimulation. Physical activity releases endorphins, which can elevate mood and reduce feelings of anxiety or depression.

Types of Suitable Physical Activities:

  • Chair exercise: This should be observed among the elderly with some mobility issues or fall-avoidance anxiety. The exercises include seated yoga, leg lifts, and arm raises. These are light exercises that will engage flexibility and increase strength without putting too much stress on the body.
  • Walking and gentle stretching: short supervised walks or light exercises for ambulatory elderly patients can enhance cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and positive mood.
  • Ball toss games: These games are simple to engage in hand-eye coordination and a simple type of exercise.

3. Music Therapy

One of the best tools that might be used with elderly patients, especially in cases of dementia or cognitive deterioration, is music therapy. Positive emotions such as stimulating memory recall and improving moods are created by just listening to the music, singing, and playing an instrument.

Sessions for such therapy can be conducted according to individual need and even personality. The therapist might prefer to play soothing music to the patient as a way of relaxing him, or stimulating activity by playing up-beat music, or just music that the patient finds very emotive. Singing along to old familiar songs can be both enjoyable and useful for improving cognitive function as well as some communication skills.

4. Art and Craft Activities

Engaging in crafts like painting, knitting, or collage-making allows for creative expression and can be therapeutic. Such activities provide sensory stimulation and a sense of achievement. For example, finger painting can offer tactile stimulation and a creative outlet.

5. Board and Card Games

Board games and card games offer seniors a way to engage in lighthearted competition and social interaction, which is crucial for emotional well-being. In facilities like assisted living memory care in Oregon, many classic games are adapted for seniors with memory or physical health disorders. This shared experience of playing a game promotes bonding between seniors and their caregivers or fellow players.

Recommended Games:

  • Bingo: It is a simple game that requires minimal amounts of physical activity but keeps the minds entertained; bingo remains pretty famous among seniors. Bingo is also played in groups and thus practiced on a very widespread basis in senior living communities.
  • Simple card games: Games, for example, Go Fish, Crazy Eights, or Uno, can be adapted using bigger, easier-to-read cards to facilitate people with visual or cognitive impairments.
  • Dominoes or Checkers: These low-pressure games are easy to play, and the players often require each other to socialize quite a bit.

6. Reminiscence Therapy

Reminiscence therapy can be a powerful tool for seniors, especially those with dementia or cognitive decline. By engaging in activities that involve recalling past events, such as looking through photo albums or discussing historical events, seniors can tap into their long-term memories and relive cherished moments. This can provide comfort, reduce anxiety, and enhance emotional well-being.

7. Sensory Activities

Activities that stimulate the senses can be very helpful for the elderly: they expose or stimulate several of the senses and improve functions of cognition, mood, and well-being to a large degree. Examples include cooking, gardening, or using tactile materials.

Many residents of assisted living with memory care participate in gardening. Flowers not only add visual beauty but also pleasing scents of flowers and plants. Senior citizens can touch the earth and plants and hear birds and insects.

Conclusion

If you have someone, be it a family member or close friend, who is at that growing age and is experiencing all sorts of physical or mental distress, then the best option is assisted living with memory care to offer them assistance. They will take into consideration the interests, abilities, and stages of a person's condition while developing an activity program.

Activities will be engaging and challenging, so regular participation in such activities would probably enhance the quality of life and provide meaning to it.