In addition to tremors, slowness, stiffness, and balance issues, it’s also common for seniors with Parkinson’s to experience cognitive problems, which could include difficulty with solving problems, processing information, doing specific tasks, or paying attention. Playing the following five brain games may help aging adults with Parkinson’s manage the cognitive issues they’re experiencing.
1. Task Sequencing
Seniors with Parkinson’s often experience impairments in executive functioning, which is a set of complex cognitive processes necessary for daily life that includes things such as managing time, remembering details, planning and organizing, and paying attention. Task sequencing features daily activities done in steps using text or pictures seniors must organize in logical order, and it can greatly enhance executive functioning.
2. Word Search
When an aging adult with Parkinson’s plays this game, which involves finding hidden words in a puzzle format, it can greatly promote attention. There’s also the option of making custom word search games you can adapt to your loved one’s needs. For example, a doctor or caregiver can create a word search game featuring the names of your loved one’s relatives, favorite actors, or TV shows, which may boost his or her motivation while finishing the puzzle.
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 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.
3. Crossword Games
Aging adults with Parkinson’s may have difficulty learning, obtaining information, and finding words alongside slowed thinking and memory loss. Games such as sudoku and crossword puzzles can stimulate the brain and enhance cognitive function. Finishing games like these can also enhance vocabulary, memory, and attention span and strengthen verbal skills. Successfully completing a crossword puzzle or a similar word game can also greatly boost confidence in a senior with Parkinson’s.
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 the everyday tasks of life, 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. Tucson, AZ, 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.
4. Memory Card Games
An aging adult with Parkinson’s may gradually experience a decrease in mental agility and memory at any stage of the disease. When this happens, it may take more time to make a decision, plan a trip, or retrieve a memory. Regularly playing this type of card game can boost memory and attention span and alleviate mental sluggishness.
5. Intertwined
Intertwined is a game that involves forming a geometric design by moving its highest points into a shape without its sides overlapping each other, and it’s most suitable for aging adults with mild to moderate Parkinson’s. Playing this game can be highly beneficial in stimulating visuospatial skills, which are necessary for everyday activities such as estimating the distance between two objects, imagining an address or place someone is talking about, and finding objects in a picture.
Mobility and cognitive issues in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease can make caring for aging adults increasingly challenging. If you’re the primary family caregiver for a senior loved one living in Tucson, 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. If your loved one needs professional care, Home Care Assistance is here to help. Call one of our dedicated Care Managers today at (520) 276-6555 to learn about the high quality of our in-home care services.