[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Lively Mind Exercises
Activities like games and brain training exercises conducted in senior facilities—often called “mental workouts”—are said to help prevent dementia or slow its progression.
So this time, we’re introducing “mental workouts for seniors”!
Mental workouts not only provide a sense of accomplishment when a problem is solved and activate brain functions, but they also play an important role in creating opportunities for communication with other seniors.
They are also recommended as a way to relieve stress for seniors who may fall into repetitive daily routines.
By adjusting the difficulty level to suit each senior’s condition and adding creative touches to make the activities easier to engage with, you can further increase their sense of satisfaction.
Try incorporating them into your recreation time or daily routine.
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[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Exciting Mental Exercises (121–130)
Fill-in crossword
This is a game where you complete a crossword puzzle that already has most of its letters filled in by filling the remaining blanks.
Thinking about which letters work both across and down, and then placing them one after another, helps stimulate your brain.
The more blanks there are to fill, the higher the difficulty, so encourage players to gradually try puzzles with multiple blank patterns.
Sometimes the letters alone won’t lead you to the answer, so in those cases, it’s recommended to reveal hints about the meanings of the words that go across and down.
Flying Insect Quiz
Here’s a quiz where you guess which insects can fly.
The idea itself is fascinating, isn’t it? Three insects appear at a time, but there isn’t always just one correct answer, and it’s interesting that some unexpected insects can or can’t fly.
Plus, the English names of the insects are shown, so you can learn them at the same time, which seems like great brain training.
If you become curious about the names or habits of insects you didn’t know, I also recommend looking them up.
It’s a quiz that’s useful in many ways, isn’t it?
Funny Gesture Exercises
A gesture game where you don’t speak, but watch movements and guess the answer.
Because it’s often played on TV shows and at parties, many older adults may already be familiar with it.
In gesture games, you watch the movements, imagine what they mean, and answer.
Imagining is said to help activate the brain.
What’s more, having older adults perform the prompted actions themselves boosts the brain-training effect.
Since you’re getting older adults to move, it’s like gesture exercise.
Expanding prompts from “eating a mandarin” to “peeling and eating a mandarin” also stimulates the imagination.
Adjust the difficulty to suit the older adults.
The more movements you add, the more smiles you’re likely to see.
What’s inside the box? 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.
[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Lively Mind Exercises (131–140)
What’s in the box? Kendama.
The kendama’s unique shape—with the ball and handle connected by a string—seems like a good hint.
Whether someone has handled one before and how familiar they are with the toy could also affect the success rate.
Since it’s hard to identify it by the feel of the wood alone, it might be better to touch and check the shape.
If the shape and texture still don’t give it away, hints like “New Year,” “toy,” or “playing with a ball” might help some people figure it out.
What’s inside the box? A folding umbrella.
Although it’s something everyone knows, a folding umbrella is surprisingly rarely seen up close.
Its smooth feel combined with metal and plastic elements may leave you wondering, “What is this?” Because people don’t often touch it while it’s folded, those who weren’t office workers in their younger days might have trouble coming up with the answer.
When no one knows, the host can prompt the group with questions like, “Have you ever used one?” or “When do you use it?” to get everyone involved and make it more enjoyable.
What’s inside the box? A wet mop.
It’s a collection of soft, thin strands, and it’s wet.
If you were to touch it without seeing it, some of you might imagine it’s something alive.
If it’s a well-used mop, when you touch it and smell it, you might wonder, “What’s that smell?” and feel even more unsure about what it is.
If you happen to move the mop while gingerly touching it, you might let out a scream and run away.
Since it’s a cleaning tool that’s widely used, it’s also recommended because it’s easy to prepare.