Eating right, resting, and exercising are all things that we have been told we need to partake in in order to keep our bodies strong and healthy. It seems like each week there is a new study being released that changes the amount of exercise that our bodies need in order to maintain healthy function. The same variables are also ever changing with diet and rest, too. With all the hype from media and health sources reminding us to take care of our bodies, we often forget that we also need to take care of our minds. We all know the benefits of staying at home to receive home health care but efforts still have to be made to help in certain areas.
Exercising out minds with challenging activities is imperative to maintaining cognitive function at any age. This is especially important during advanced age, when mental capacity begins to decline. As with any other part of the body, if the mind is not exercised or challenged on a regular basis, it begins to get soft and not function as well as it once did. Coupled with other mental conditions that often plague the elderly, this can be extremely detrimental to their overall health. To keep this from happening, there are some simple ways that caregivers can mentally engage their elderly charges to keep their brains stimulated. When we provide home health care here are a few examples of activities that our caregivers try.
Word association
This is a very basic game with a simple concept, but it can be very useful in improving mental function. The way to play it is for one person to say a word and the other person says the first word that comes to their mind. For example, a caregiver might start the game by saying tree and the elderly client may answer leaf, to which the caregiver may reply autumn.
Matching games
Matching games, although very elementary, are great ways to improve short term memory. Memory games are usually comprised of a deck of cards, matched in pairs. The cards are mixed up and placed face down on a table. Players take turns turning over two cards at a time until they find a matching pair.
Counting games
Games that employ counting skills as well as sorting skills can be very beneficial in strengthening the body’s mental faculties.
Strategy games
Games of strategy are also a good way of maintaining cognitive function. The planning involved in playing the game challenges players to use more of their brains, thereby increasing the benefits it provides. An example of an easy, but effective game of strategy is checkers.
Home health care needn’t be a case of being visited, made sure you are ok and then left alone…. our caregivers want to engage you in conversation, play games with you and see what it is that you would like to do during your time together.
Hearts at Home Senior care is a leading provider of Home Health Care in Houston. We provider caregivers to watch over your loved one for as little as a few hours, up to 24 hour live-in care. Please contact us for more information on how we can help you.