It’s common knowledge that our mental fortitude for memory and cognitive skills will decline as we age. If you’ve ever had that moment where you’d talk to your grandparents about their youths, and they would forget about what they were talking about, it’s quite a common scenario. However, memory loss and a decrease in cognitive skills can be maintained with relatively simple mental exercises that anyone can do.
Older adults will feel like they’re alone when they haven’t interacted with others for a long time. Most of the time, loneliness can lead to mental health deterioration and can often lead to memory loss as they age. One of the best ways to stay quick on your feet with your thoughts and memory is by interacting with others. What’s a great way of getting them a fair amount of social interaction? Senior assisted living is one of the best ways of getting a fair amount of interaction and care, especially when there are various age groups that you can talk to.
But aside from social interaction, what are some excellent ways of maintaining good mental health when we’re older?
What Are Some Key Exercises?
Fortunately, different types of exercises can improve both memory and concentration of older adults. Here are some excellent activities:
Video Games
Many video games will require a lot of thought processing, strategy, and even reflexes. With the technology that we have these days, there are also video games that simulate virtual reality through headsets and movement. Thus, video games aren’t just something that can help older adults’ mental fortitude, but can also keep them quick on their feet.
In one study done by psychology students, senior citizens (aged 50 to 75) who played video games increased the mass of gray matter in different parts of their brains. Moreover, they had a temporary boost in their memory and cognitive skills.
Books
Reading books has been a tried and tested way of getting your brain working for centuries. That helps preserve much of their memory while also helping with analytical and reflective skills. Studies have shown that individuals who were reading books for years were less likely to develop physical signs of dementia on their brains.
Puzzles
Lastly, puzzles are known for being one of the best ways of keeping yourself entertained. Most of these activities are known for stimulating your brain’s logical side while also improving analytical skills. It’s also known for strengthening the bond between cells and proliferating cell regeneration.
More exercises can help both memory and contraction in older adults. You don’t necessarily need to limit yourself to these options. Still, it’s important to note that people will have their personal preferences, and they’re more inclined to liking certain activities over others. It never hurts to ask your elderly loved ones what activities they’re into and what they want to do.
Most of the time, mental exercises are more engaging when done together with loved ones and friends. These activities are also useful when done frequently since this will mitigate the risk of any mental illness.
While it’s great that we’re making sure that our elderly loved ones are getting a fair amount of mental exercises, it’s still crucial that we take care of their physical needs as well. Thus, giving them the right amount of sustenance and nutrition can help with their overall well-being.
