Caregiver in Durham NC: Memory Retention Games

Once your mom or dad is diagnosed with some form of dementia, slowing the progression of the disease becomes important. Medications can help, but studies find that games that help with memory retention are also beneficial. Here are four games your mom or dad can play either with a companion or by him/herself.

Find It.

Find It is a game your mom or dad can play alone or with a group. The game involves a sealed cylinder that’s filled with close to four dozen items and a lot of small colorful beads. Draw a card and see if you can find the item by shaking, twisting, and spinning the cylinder. If group play is desired, you can set a timer, pass it around to each player, and see who can find it first.

Memorado.

Memorado is an online gaming site that builds concentration, logic, memory skills, and reaction times. It’s free to sign up and has you doing math in your head or remembering the location of a fish and a number that quickly flashes on the screen at the same time. As it tracks your mom or dad’s abilities each day, it targets exactly what your parent needs to work on most.

Memory.

The children’s game Memory is great for grandparents to play with grandchildren. Lay all the cards out face down and then take turns trying to find matches. You can make your own game of Memory with a of couple decks of playing cards, too. This helps both kids and adults try to memorize where items are located and quickly recall the locations during their turn.

Simon.

Simon is one of the first handheld electronic games to find its way into thousands of households. It’s a great game for people with dementia. There are slides that set the game. Choose the game and get ready to play. There are four colored areas that light up and play a sound. The user must remember the pattern the machine plays and repeat it. This can help your mom or dad work on memory retention and patterns. There’s also a setting for multiple players if someone wants to join in.

Caregivers offer a range of services that benefit people with dementia. Companionship, meal preparation, and assistance with housework will make a difference. Don’t delay hiring caregivers. Both you and your parent will benefit from having someone around to offer care. If your mom or dad has dementia, call a home care agency today.