Parkinson’s symptoms aren’t always restricted to physical challenges such as tremors. Seniors also encounter some issues with their cognitive abilities as the disease begins to generate changes in the brain. Fortunately, you can make home care fun by including these brain games for people with Parkinson’s in your aging loved one’s routine.
Word Association Games
This type of game involves trying to match words that belong in the same category, which counteracts the negative impact Parkinson’s disease has on the ability to group similar objects together. Word association games can also help seniors retain their vocabulary skills. You can find this type of game online or in a worksheet format. You can also increase the challenge for your loved one by using a timer to see how fast he or she can match the related words.
Chess and Other Strategy Games
Classic strategy games, such as chess and checkers, help seniors continue to strengthen their reasoning skills. Your loved one will also need to use his or her memory to recall the rules of the game and any strategies he or she used successfully in the past. Seniors may also need to move their arms across the midlines of their bodies when they move the pieces, which further strengthens communication between the two sides of the brain.
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.
Memory-Matching Card Games
If your loved one is still in the early stages of Parkinson’s, make sure to keep these games challenging by using many different cards. Those who are already experiencing memory loss may do better with smaller sets of cards. In addition to helping with memory abilities, these games can increase seniors’ attention spans so they can focus on tasks for longer.
Many seniors in the early stages of Parkinson’s are able to live on their own, but they may need a bit of help with everyday tasks, such as exercising and preparing nutritious meals. Aging adults who require assistance with the tasks of daily living can benefit from reliable senior home care. Rhode Island 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.
Trivia Games
There’s nothing better than playing a good old-fashioned game of trivia. Break out your loved one’s favorite trivia game, such as Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit, and invite a few friends to play along. Alternatively, you can set up an online trivia game that allows your loved one to play with other people in real time. Playing trivia games encourages your loved one to recall information he or she learned in the past. In some cases, seniors can also rely on their reasoning skills to narrow down their options, which further increases their cognitive abilities.
Reflex Games
The game Simon involves watching a sequence of colored lights and touching them in the same pattern, which requires seniors to use their memory and test their reflex skills. Choosing games that require the mind and body to work together helps with preserving coordination.
If you’re the primary family caregiver for a senior loved one living in Rhode Island, 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. Call us at (401) 284-0979 today to talk to one of our compassionate Care Managers about our high-quality home care services.