If you stop using your muscles, you’ll eventually lose the ability to move around. Similarly, if you stop using your brain, you’ll lose cognitive function as well. That said, there is a range of activities that you can use to keep your memory and cognitive abilities moving. As a matter of fact, some research says that you can actually improve your memory with the right practices. From online games to maintain your mental health to learning a new language, many of these tasks can help maintain your ability to think clearly. If you’re looking for senior activities for memory improvement, the experts at Clover Hill can help. Contact our team today at 201-485-4000 to learn more.
Senior Activities for Improving Memory
When you come to Clover Hill, our goal is to help older adults to maintain their memory, as well as to grow and thrive. We offer three senior activities for memory improvement.
1. Test Yourself Each Day
Short-term memorization isn’t just about hearing a set of facts or instructions. In fact, you may need to repeatedly commit information to your memory to make the ideas stick. However, doing so is good practice. Therefore, when you read a book, have a conversation with a loved one, or even make a grocery list, try to recall the information and details a few hours later. Attempting to focus on that new information forces your brain to transfer it from the working memory of your brain to your short or long-term memory. In doing so, you may be able to recall more information without trying in the future.
The amount of information that you need to know about a topic can be overwhelming. Therefore, if you need to remember larger amounts of information, try to categorize the information. It’s far easier to remember large amounts of information when you chunk it up.
2. Try Playing Mind-Boggling Games
Today, we have access to a range of fun and engaging games that can help you retain your memory. For instance, numerical puzzles keep your ability to perform mental math. Conversely, verbal or spelling games can challenge your ability to recall simple spellings. Furthermore, research says that creating a large vocabulary can defend against mental impairment. We recommend playing a range of brain-teasing games, including:
- Soduku
- Scrabble
- Yahtzee
- Crossword puzzles
- Word searches
3. Learn a New Skill
As we grow older, it’s critical to keep learning. Doing so can help you to retain your memory and exercise your brain. One of our senior activities for memory improvement is to learn a new language. Languages can allow you to communicate when you take that trip that you’ve been dreaming of for years. It also requires you to use language processing skills that you may not have used for quite some time.
If you don’t want to learn a new language, it may be time to become a musician. Learning music can be quite a demanding skill that enhances your memory. Playing an instrument may also allow you to communicate with other people that you may not have met otherwise.
Other skills that can improve your memory include:
- Crocheting
- Quilting
- Woodworking
- Photography
- Knitting
Contact Clover Hill
At Clover Hill, we’re proud to provide a senior living community that offers a wide array of activities for memory improvement. With our A.S.P.I.R.E. living program, we can help you maintain and improve your memory. In addition to these senior living activities, we also offer our residents a range of other services, including:
- Integrative assisted care
- Individualized care plans
- Medication management
- Private culinary services
- Community amenities
To learn more about our senior care options and senior activities for memory improvement, contact Clover Hill today at 201-485-4000.
