It’s important that as people age they find ways to keep both their body and mind sharp. Sandy Gibson, the Director of Nursing with BrightStar of Chicago, put together a great list of games and activities to do with seniors to help with memory. These are great exercises for those suffering from dementia.

1. Memory Games and Activities for Seniors
Keeping the aging mind sharp

2. It’s important that as people age they find ways to keep both their body
and mind sharp.
• Sandy Gibson, the Director of Nursing with BrightStar of Chicago, put
together a great list of games and activities to do with seniors to help
with memory.
• These are great exercises for those suffering from dementia.

3. Memory Card Game
• This classic card game is a great way to exercise memory.
• Lay all the cards from a deck face down in a 13 x 4 pattern.
• The first player turns two cards over at random.
• If they are a match, he gets to keep them and go again.
• If they are different numbers, he must turn them back over and it is
the next player’s turn.
• As more and more cards are revealed, players are forced to
remember where certain cards are in the grid.
• The player with the most pairs at the end of the game wins.

4. Simon Says
• Simon Says exercises reflex skills and memory.
• It is appropriate for seniors already experiencing memory loss.
• Stand at the front of the room.
• Do an action, such as putting your hands on your head.
• Describe the action, introducing it with “Simon says.” For example,
“Simon says put your hands on your head.”
• The participants must imitate your actions until you describe a
gesture you are doing without saying “Simon says.”
• Anyone who does the gesture is out. The game requires that seniors
quickly recall the names of body parts.
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5. Name That Tune
• This game is great for exercising and testing long-term memory.
• Assemble various recordings of songs that were popular when today’s
seniors were young.
• Play a short clip from a song. Participants must write down the name
of the song and the artist.
• Play 10-15 different songs.
• Announce the answers one by one. The participant with the highest
number of correct responses wins.

6. Memory Circle
• This game strengthens both long- and short-term memory.
• Assemble a group of senior citizens in a circle.
• Go around the circle and have participants share memories of a
favorite hobby or activity from their childhood.
• Once each person has had a chance to share, go around the circle
again.
• This time, have each person recount the same memory of another
participant.
• Continue until everyone has had a chance to recount someone else’s
memory.

7. Tech Games
• In the age of technology and gadgets, seniors can benefit from a host
of games.
• The Nintendo DS is a hand-held game console.
• Among the games available for it is “Brain Age/Brain Age 2,” a game
with nine puzzles, multi-level Sudoku rounds and speed counting
memory tests.
• Another, “Clubhouse Games,” offers 40 classic senior-friendly games
like “Texas Hold ‘Em,” backgammon, checkers, bowling, billiards and
darts.
• These particular activities will challenge a senior’s speed, dexterity,
memory and mental focus.

8. Traditional Games
• You can never go wrong with traditional games that exercise mental
focus and memory.
• Brain teasers, crossword puzzles, bingo boards and puzzles are
available in large print and large sizes to make it easier for seniors to
handle, see and play.

9. Group Fun
• Trivia games for seniors can be a group activity that allows them to
develop a sense of teamwork while bonding with their peers.
• Such games alleviate loneliness, a state of being that triggers
depression, anxiety and dementia in seniors, according to The Senior
Review. Trivia games can be especially enjoyable for seniors
knowledgeable on subjects such as music, movies, history, art
and sports.

10. Board Games
• Board games such as chess, Monopoly, and even children’s games like
Candyland and Chutes and Ladders help improve the short-term
memory of seniors.
• Board games provide seniors a way to assist their peers, giving them a
sense of helpfulness.
• Board games with basic play rules are less about competitiveness and
more about having fun and encouraging each player to do his best.

11. Outdoor Games
• Other than getting fresh air and exercise, there are plenty of games to
play with seniors outside.
• Depending on the physical fitness level of the senior, games such as
Red Light Green Light, Simon Says, Freeze Tag, sports games or a
scavenger hunt are examples of games to get senior citizens outdoors
and are free to play.

12. Arts and Crafts
• With items that you already have, you can do arts and crafts with your
senior.
• According to the Seniors Love to Know website, scrap booking is a fun
way to gather your photos and mementos together and is a great way
to organize your treasures.
• Drawing and sketching can also be enjoyable and to make it a game,
you can play Pictionary or have contests based on what picture looks
the most realistic, the most bizarre, the most creative, etc.
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13. Card Games
• Card games are free and can be fun for people of all ages.
• There are a variety of different card games to choose from and the
flexibility of cards means that you can make up your own games if you
choose.
• Find a game your senior wants to play or you can get ideas from the
Games Info Depot website and play popular games such as Old Maid,
Bridge, Poker, BlackJack and Cribbage.

14. Bingo
• Get out the bingo cards, bingo balls and bingo markers, and let the
seniors enjoy a couple of games of bingo.
• For added fun, create the bingo cards and markers to match the
nearest holiday.
• If Halloween is coming up, use bingo cards with pictures of bats,
scarecrows, candy and scary masks.
• The seniors can use candy corns as bingo markers and instead of
saying “Bingo,” have them shout, “Happy Halloween.”
• Do the same for Valentine’s Day, and use conversation hearts as bingo
markers. Award the game winners with holiday-themed prizes.

15. Marshmallow Toss
• Hang a wreath or circle ring from the ceiling that is approximately 6
inches in diameter.
• Dust several large marshmallows with flour to keep them from
getting sticky.
• Mark a standing line 10 feet from the wreath or circle.
• Give each senior 10 marshmallows to try to toss through the wreath
or ring.
• Award a prize to each senior who makes a marshmallow through the
ring.
• For added decoration, make the ring heart-shaped for Valentine’s Day;
use a holiday wreath for Christmas; and use a Halloween-themed
wreath for Halloween.
• If you do not have marshmallows, play this game with beanbags.

16. Balloon Volleyball
• Use a small rope to hang across a room.
• The seniors can sit in chairs or stand to play a game of balloon
volleyball.
• Divide the seniors into two teams. Each team will get on one side of
the rope.
• The seniors will hit the balloon back and forth like volleyball.
• Keep score, and the first team to score 10 points wins the game.
• For another balloon game, give each senior a balloon and see who can
hit the balloon in the air the longest amount of time.

17. Brain and Mind Games
• Seniors require mental stimulation and games that improve the brain
and memory skills are beneficial.
• The Nursing Home Activities Resource website suggests games such as
crossword puzzles, board games such as chess, Sudoku, Trivia games
and jigsaw puzzles.
• To make these games free, play board games you already own and
you can print out free puzzles and games from websites online or
make your own!

18. Vacation Game
• Have several people sit in a circle. Start the game by saying,
“I am going on a trip to Florida and in my suitcase I am taking a shirt.”
• Ask the person beside you to say the same thing but add another item
to the suitcase.
• The person will say, “I am going on a trip to Florida and in my suitcase
I am taking a shirt and a [fill in the blank].”
• Continue to play around the circle until it comes back to you.
• You end the game by reciting the original saying and remembering all
the items added to the suitcase.

19. Room Memorization
• Ask a senior to look around a room they are familiar with like
a bedroom, then ask the person to leave the room for a minute.
• Switch a few things in the room or hide some things.
• Ask the senior to return and tell you what has moved or what is
missing.
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20. Daily Journals
• Help seniors write daily journals at the end of each day.
• Ask them to remember each thing they did and write each thing
down.
• Tell them to visualize their day if they are having trouble
remembering the things they did.
• Make a game of it by trying to remember hour by hour.
• Ask them to remember more each day than they did the day before.
See who can remember the most details.

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