Fun Brain Training! Memory Games for Seniors
Many older adults are concerned about declining memory.
Whether you’re a senior or not, you’ve probably felt, “I feel like I’ve been more forgetful lately,” at least once.
For those worried about memory decline, memory games for seniors are highly recommended.
We’ve gathered memory-related tasks that can help boost cognitive function.
Anyone can try them casually, and even if you don’t succeed, the appeal is that you can keep challenging yourself as many times as you like.
Let’s enjoy memory games without pressure and have fun while working on them.
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Fun Brain Training! Memory Games for Seniors (31–40)
Proverb Quiz
A proverb that every Japanese person has probably heard.
This time, we’re introducing a “proverb quiz” where you think of the sentence that fits inside the parentheses to complete the proverb.
You might be thinking, “It’s just filling in one sentence, right?” but once you try it, you’ll be surprised at how tricky it can be.
You may even come across proverbs you’ve never seen before.
If you can, try not only filling in the sentence but also thinking about its meaning.
The characters and their content are called semantic memory, an important kind of memory that makes up our knowledge.
We recommend using it regularly while enjoying a bit of brain training.
Hinamatsuri Spot-the-Difference Quiz
How about a spot-the-difference game that’s effective as brain training for seniors? Here’s a “Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) Spot-the-Difference” activity we recommend for March.
In spot-the-difference, you temporarily memorize the correct picture, right? By using that correct picture as a reference to find the differences, it’s said to be effective for training memory, observation, and concentration.
You can find spot-the-difference pictures online or prepare printed images—one of the nice things about this quiz is that it doesn’t require much effort.
Of course, you can also create a large spot-the-difference illustration in advance and put it up on a whiteboard or similar surface for everyone to enjoy.
Brain training with rock-paper-scissors
It’s a game where you create patterns that switch between rock, scissors, and paper hand shapes, then go through those different patterns in order.
The key is thinking about what shape comes next.
Having players say the shapes out loud while making them is also important; thinking, moving the hands, and speaking at the same time helps activate the brain.
Start at a slow tempo at first, then gradually increase the speed to make it more challenging.
It might be easier if you write the sequence on a board in words so players can refer to it while figuring out the shapes.
10 educational quiz questions
Here’s an introduction to quizzes that are beneficial for seniors.
Quizzes can be enjoyed during conversations with older adults or in small pockets of free time.
Plus, the act of thinking provides stimulation to the brain and can help keep it active.
Quizzes based on things seniors know or are familiar with are likely to be even more engaging.
Learning fun trivia they didn’t know before through quizzes can also make the experience enjoyable for seniors.
And when the quizzes focus on things they already know, getting the right answer can give them a real sense of accomplishment.
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.
Fun Brain Training! Memory Games for Seniors (41–50)
small change calculation
Let me introduce a brain-training exercise that uses counting coins: the Coin Calculation game.
Coins will appear on the screen—memorize them within the time limit and calculate the total amount.
The double task of taking a quick look, memorizing, and then calculating greatly activates your brain.
Calculating and paying money are essential activities for living in society.
In fact, it has been reported that in the early stages of dementia, counting coins becomes difficult, leading people to rely more on bills.
If you’ve had fewer chances to shop in your daily life, please give this a try.
Number search
This time, we’re introducing a game-like activity called “Number Hunt.” From a large set of numbers, you look for the ones that are duplicated.
Once the signal to start is given, find them within the time limit.
It may look easy, but you’ll be surprised at how tricky it can be to spot them.
Before you know it, you’ll be saying, “One more time!” and getting hooked.
Because you have to remember the sequence of numbers and decide whether you’ve seen a number before, it also works as a brain-training recreation with expected cognitive benefits.