Memory Games For Seniors

A healthy mind rests in a healthy body. Though many of us preach this philosophy with relative ease, most of us are more than likely to have forgotten to actually practice it. People are known to engage much more in physical activity to maintain youthfulness than in keeping their minds even half as well-exercised. Hardly a thought is spared for sustaining the alertness and agility of the aging mind, which is basically the seat of all processes, regenerative or degenerative. If the mind is young, the body tends to age slower. It is a fact that with time our brain wears out and forgetfulness is one of the most common symptoms. Though forgetfulness cannot be categorized as an illness in itself, it can be a telling symptom of other underlying diseases like Alzheimer’s or Dementia. The degree of forgetfulness often indicates the seriousness of the disease. But then every memory loss is not Alzheimer or Dementia. So if a senior member of your family is dealing with a failing memory, here are some memory games that will help.
Memory Improvement Games For Seniors
Keeping the brain active is the best way to keep it fit. As people age, not only memory loss but also a host of other problems like loneliness and health complications start surfacing. Memory improvement games can help in reducing the severity of some of these problems, so listed here are a few you can start with:
Crossword puzzles are good entertainers for the young and old alike. If your grandparents or parents are interested in word games, crossword puzzles are the best way of keeping them pleasantly engaged. If he or she is mathematically-inclined, Sudoku is a good option to keep the brain from going dull. It will be a good stress-buster as well, for both their mental as well as physically fitness.
Indulging in hobbies is a great way to improve concentration. This can help regain memory and even trigger better mental responses.
They would love to re-visit their younger days through scrapbooks or photo albums. What you can do is to try some memory boosting questions in the process such as asking them to try and remember where the photograph was taken or who it was taken by, or even the year in which it was clicked. It is more like a review of the past which prods them into jogging their memory and keeping their grey matter sharp.
You can also hang some of these photos on the walls of their rooms, so that every time a senior catches a glimpse of them, they remind them of days gone by.
Seniors tend to forget the names of even those under their noses, so it will be a great idea to ask them to name as many relatives as possible from their photographs.
Building up imaginary stories can help, too. For this game you have a group of seniors from your neighborhood meet up. Ask one of them to start a story; it can be about anything. Start your story like this: ‘I went trekking the other day…’ and give each one of them a chance to add something to the story. This will make them work on their imagination and improve their memory.
Help them write daily journals. Help them visualize the whole day while doing this. This will help them remember the various incidents that happened during the day and be more aware, subsequently, of their existence.
Engaging them in a conversation where they talk about their past is a great idea.
By making them play online games, not only are you helping them improve their memory, but also exposing them to newer skills.

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Memory Loss In Alzheimer

By Jeannie Crabtree

Memory loss in early Alzheimer’s can be difficult to detect at times. Is it just forgetfulness, or is there a real problem going on?

The things we’ve done in the last hours, days or even weeks are placed in our short-term memory. In early stages of Alzheimer’s, the most recent memories go first, but it is easy for people to manage to cover that up.

But as Alzheimer’s disease becomes more severe, past memories become affected as well. At this point, people around them will be more aware of the possibility of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Having Alzheimer’s disease is often equated with losing ones memory. So much so that jokes are made about it. They are sometimes funny, until you get old enough to wonder if maybe you may be experiencing a touch of Alzheimer’s.

If you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s, the jokes are no longer funny as you see the downhill progression of their memory and ability to care for themselves.

This memory loss problem is very real and can be tested for. Many times just a simple set of questions are asked. The questions commonly asked in the doctors office have to do with both how the short term and long term memory works.

Questions commonly asked included

* What day is it today?

* What month are we in?

* What year is it?

* Where are you now?

* Who is the President?

* Count backwards from 20-1

* I am going to tell you three things, you repeat it back to me after five minutes, when I ask.

If you cannot answer all the questions, or have forgotten something, it does not prove that you or your loved on has Alzheimer’s disease, but it does show that perhaps further investigation is needed.

If you feel someone has Alzheimer’s, be sure to have other tests run such as brain imaging such as CAT scan or MRI scan as these can help rule out other possible causes and help confirm the dementia or Alzheimer connection.

Many of the conditions being manifested in the early stages can be reversed or halted. So it is important not to ignore the memory problems, but get in to be thoroughly checked out.

About the Author: Want to find out more? Confused if someone has it or not? It is important to learn all you can about Alzheimers. Pick up your copy of

Memory Loss Causes — Dementia Treatment Tips

Treatable Causes of Dementia

While there are causes of dementia we can’t really treat (Alzheimer’s, Vascular Dementia, Parkinson’s, Lewy Body, and Creutzfedt-Jakob disease) there are a great many that we can identify, treat and have success with reversing.

The critical thing is to involve your physician in the diagnosis because the treatment for each of these problems depends on a successful diagnosis.

Brain injury or trauma treatment has come a long way in the last few years and we now know the brain remaps itself and adapts if it gets the right kind of rehabilitation treatment.  This is one of those post-stroke and trauma treatments that should be thoroughly investigated.  Long term and repeated damage, think boxing, is going to be much more difficult to treat.

Brain tumors mimic dementia because of the swelling and pressure they put on various glands.  As well, brain infections from problems such as meningitis and encephalitis can create dementia symptoms.  And many folks know that symptoms created by HIV/AIDS and syphilis can be treated, slowed but perhaps not totally repaired depending on the level of damage.

Heavy metal exposure (mercury, lead) is one cause of dementia and there are some treatments if the problem is caught early enough.

Most of the major organs of the body (liver, pancreas, kidneys) and glands (pituitary, thryoid) can create symptoms of dementia if they are damaged by disease or injury.  All can be treated and damage reversed if properly diagnosed and treated at the appropriate time.

Hypoxia or lack of oxygen to the brain is a treatable cause of dementia.  Cigarette smoking, congestive heart failure, emphysema are all contributors to hypoxia and can be direct causes of dementia symptoms.

Drug reactions are another of the common but treatable causes of dementia symptoms.  Either combinations of drugs (seniors take many and the precise interactions can be unclear) or as a direct cause.   For example, drugs for sedation can create these symptoms.  Illegal recreational drugs in high enough doses or in seniors can also be associated with dementia symptoms – these problems usually disappear when drug use is discontinued.

Nutritional deficiencies.  The B vitamins are particularly associated with symptoms that resemble  dementia.  and this is most common in alcoholism – chronic drinking creates liver problems and this in turn is one of the above causes of dementia.

While further information can be found at <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=”http://www.alzheimers-information.com/causes-of-dementia.html”>http://www.alzheimers-information.com/causes-of-dementia.html</a> all of these conditions are more or less treatable causes of dementia and should be diagnosed and handled by a qualified physician.

Doug Green is a full time, award-winning freelance writer who writes from personal experience with Alzheimers Disease at http://www.alzheimers-information.com/

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MemoryLossCauses.org has lots of information and tips about preventing and treating memory loss. Memory loss causes include Alzheimer’s dementia and other forms of dementia. Exercise — both physical activity like walking and brain exercises — can help keep you sharper longer. Visit www.MemoryLossCauses.org today.
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Fitness for Boomers – How To PREVENT Memory Loss from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

What does mild cognitive impairment have to do with fitness for boomers?

Isn’t forgetfulness just a part of aging that you cannot avoid?

The answers to these questions are detailed below.

 

What is Mild Cognitive Impairment?

Here’s the Mayo Clinic definition: “MCI is a disorder of the brain in which nerve cells involved in one aspect of cognitive processing (thinking abilities) are impaired.”

 

Why Worry About MILD Cognitive Impairment?

There are two reasons for concern about MCI:

1. Symptoms Can Create Problems

According to the Mayo Clinic, “The symptoms often include:

* Frequently repeating statements.

* Frequently misplacing items.

* Frequently forgetting details of conversations, events, and appointments.”

Although these symptoms are more severe than the forgetfulness due to normal aging, they usually do not seriously impact the ability to live independently. They ARE frustrating for the individual with MCI and those who interact with them.

2. Possible Future Health Issues

People who have MCI are more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease then those who have NOT developed MCI.

 

Prevent MCI Through Fitness for Boomers

What can boomers do to prevent MCI? Clean and simple – exercise and fitness for boomers. But you need not believe the author, look up Dr. Mercola on the net:

In recent studies that document the positive effects exercise has on brain function, findings show that performing moderate exercise, (aerobics, yoga and strength training) DURING MIDLIFE lead to a 39 percent decreased risk of developing mild cognitive impairment. (mercola.com)

 

The Evidence is Clear

You’re a boomer and you want no part of aging that can potentially threaten your ability to function on your own, whether it’s MCI or unhappily, dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Take the next step – discover fitness for boomers and the types of exercise you need to prevent or minimize MCI symptoms.

It’s NOT “tough to get old,” as long as you take action!

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