5 Cognition-Boosting Activities for Seniors

5 Cognition-boosting activities for seniors

An activity a day keeps the doctor away. This is the truth nowadays. It is true for all of us.

And so it is, for our elders as well. We need motivators and other activities to keep ourselves on our feet. Apart from keeping the feeling of ‘boredom’ away, an active life is a good workout for our brain. As we age, our cognitive abilities also decrease. This is why seniors need to be more active post their retirement.

Being active need not be rigorous or challenging. Let us look at some ways in how seniors can occupy themselves in fun and interesting activities.

1. Good Old Monopoly – The age-old classic game of monopoly provokes the thought process and indulge in fun with friends. Keeping track of the game property while planning to increase overall assets is a good planning and organising activity.

2. Classic Sudoku – The best brain-bender for travels. Or in our newspaper daily’s. The number game can be made simple to complex offering everyone a chance at the game. Creating sudoku puzzles is an alternate, that also boosts cognitive skills.

3. Jigsaw puzzles – These may sound childish, but their impact cannot be underestimated. Hand-eye co-ordination, logical and spatial thinking are boosted through this activity. The right choice of puzzle makes all the difference. It can also be enjoyed with grandkids.

4. Origami – The activity of origami, in the disguise of paper folding, offers the benefits of spatial and logical thinking. It is also good for preserving the motor senses in the fingers of seniors, which changes with aging.

5. Learning a new language – There is no age limit for learning. Seniors also learn every day. They might as well learn something they like. Language learning enhances memory power also boosting self-confidence. One has to remember that learning pace and grasp differs from person to person and that seniors have to take it in their own pace and stride.

Seniors who lead active lifestyle are in a better position than seniors who are often confined to their rooms. There are several studies to prove this point. An active initiative by seniors themselves or their loved ones can make seniors’ time more interesting and productive.