[For Seniors] Fun! Games and Ideas to Boost Memory
Games are a form of recreation that let you move your body while having fun and stimulate the brain, helping to prevent dementia.
They’re widely used in many senior and welfare facilities.
This time, among the many types of games, we’ll introduce games and ideas that are especially effective for boosting memory.
As we age, it’s said that recalling things becomes more difficult.
Use the ideas here to strengthen the brain during your usual game activities!
Games also create opportunities for interaction—sparking conversations and helping older adults connect with one another.
By all means, make good use of memory-boosting games!
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- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
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- Recreation Activities Effective for Long-Term Care Prevention for Seniors
- For seniors: Fun, crowd-pleasing word association game ideas
- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
[For Seniors] Fun! Games and Ideas to Boost Memory (31–40)
Flag-raising game
This is a game where you move red and white flags in your hands up and down according to given instructions.
Your ability to listen carefully and then move—distinguishing between commands like “raise” vs.
“don’t raise” and “lower” vs.
“don’t lower”—is put to the test.
Once you get used to it, it’s recommended to gradually increase the speed of the instructions.
By requiring quicker decisions, you can further stimulate the brain.
To help players focus on listening and moving, it’s also a good idea to make the flags easier to hold—for example, by forming them into rings.
Urashima Tarō Game
Watch out for the tamatebako! Let me introduce a Urashima Taro card game.
First, prepare 18 Urashima Taro cards, 9 Princess Otohime cards, 9 Tamatebako (mystery box) cards, and 18 Turtle cards.
Stack them all face down.
Take turns flipping one card at a time.
If you reveal Urashima Taro and a Turtle, you get 1 point.
If you reveal a Tamatebako, you get 0 points and all the cards you’re holding are confiscated.
If you reveal Princess Otohime, you get 1 point, plus you reclaim any confiscated cards and may draw 2 additional cards.
The player with the most points from the cards they’re holding at the end wins.
Since which card appears is entirely up to luck, even people who aren’t confident at card games can enjoy it casually.
Give it a try!
Ojami Wobble Game
Many older adults have probably played otedama (beanbag juggling) before, right? Some may have even skillfully used their hands and fingers to juggle two or three beanbags in the air.
Let’s play a fun game that uses familiar otedama to work the fingertips.
Place a paper plate on top of a short piece of a cut plastic wrap or foil core.
Then, place the beanbags on the paper plate one by one.
Since the paper plate is unstable, it wobbles each time you add a beanbag, creating a thrilling, heart-pounding effect.
It seems like older adults can enjoy a bit of tension while engaging in the game.
By the way, “ojami” is what otedama is called in the Kansai region.
PET bottle cap grab game
Here’s a game that uses PET bottle caps to train finger dexterity.
Pick up PET bottle caps and drop them into paper cups.
However, you’ll use clothespins to pick up the caps.
Handling clothespins requires a certain amount of strength.
Simply using clothespins can also improve fine motor skills by encouraging nimble finger movements.
Let’s not only aim for brain-training benefits through finger use, but also strengthen the fingers and hands.
By making it a game, older adults can enjoy themselves while getting in some training.
Give it a try!
Animal Memory Rec
People aged 75 and over are now required to take a Cognitive Function Test to renew their driver’s license.
Even those who don’t have much trouble remembering things can feel a bit nervous when they know they’re going to be tested.
How about livening things up with a memory-training game similar to that test? Here’s a simple way to run it: first, show 8–10 animal illustrations—or just the words if you don’t have pictures—have the participant memorize them, then ask them to write them on a whiteboard.
Adjust the difficulty by changing the number of animals or the memorization time.
If you have a whiteboard, it should be fun even outdoors.
[For Seniors] Fun! Games and Ideas to Boost Memory (41–50)
beanbags
Beanbags used in various games can feel subtly different depending on the fabric and the filling.
How about testing whether you can accurately identify them under such varying conditions? Because it’s something we casually use, you might find yourself picturing it but unable to recall its name.
It’s also fun to mix beanbags of different weights and textures on purpose, so the differences in feel make people hesitate over their answers.
fruit
Because fruit is sometimes sold as cut pieces and people tend to focus on flavor, we may not pay much attention to appearance or how it feels to the touch.
But can we tell what fruit it is just from the sensation of touching it? Since the texture varies greatly by type of fruit, the choice of which ones to use will likely affect both the accuracy rate and the reactions.
Most fruits basically feel smooth, so to introduce contrast, adding something like pineapple is recommended.