Research suggests that games and puzzles are an effective way to keep the mind active and growing as people age. Scroll down for some of the most popular word games that are easily accessible online!
Wordle
The objective of Wordle is to guess a five-letter mystery word within six attempts. So, a new word is chosen each day, and it's the same for all players worldwide. After each guess, the game provides feedback using a color-coding system to help players guess the correct word.
- Letters in the correct position turn green, indicating they're in the right spot
- Yellow is used for letters that are in the word but in the wrong position
- Gray indicates that the letter isn't in the word at all
Players then use this feedback to refine their guesses and solve the puzzle before running out of attempts.
A fun spin on Wordle is an app called Words With Friends, which adds an element of social connection to this kind of mind-strengthening game.
Connections
Another popular word game is called Connections. This is available daily through the New York Times, but other websites offer unlimited Connections games. You start a game of Connections with 16 words that often appear to be completely unrelated. The purpose of the game is to find four groups of four words that are connected in some way.
These connections can relate to the structure of the word. For example, the words coffee, fricassee, balloon, and bassoon all have two consonants followed by two vowels. Other word groups have more to do with the topic or definition of the words. This is also a fun game to play with others, as different people can offer differing perspectives on potential connections.
Global
A third popular brain game is called Global. This one will test and grow your geography knowledge. There is a daily mystery country. You play the game by guessing various countries and then are told how far those countries are from the mystery country. You narrow down the country by guessing until you have discovered the mystery country. This game will be a little bit easier for those who are well-traveled and have a good grasp of world geography. This is a fantastic way for older adults to continue to expand and grow their knowledge throughout their lifetimes.
Memory Care Community in Southern California
MesaView Senior Assisted Living in La Mesa, California is a memory care community in Southern California. We understand that our residents’ holistic life experience (social, spiritual, emotional, mental, physical) is vitally important. Research says one of the best things you can do to delay or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is to keep your mind active. Our compassionate caregivers provide top-notch, individualized care to each of the members of our communities.
Our Holistic Approach to Memory Care
Memory care that takes a holistic approach engages a person physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Providing an alternative to institutional care, MesaView’s beautiful rooms and inviting grounds evoke a homey feel while still having enough space to accommodate specialized equipment for mobile care services. Our caregivers and staff are familiar with the providers and organizations that offer mobile care services for the elderly. We collaborate with them to ensure your loved one is comfortable and comprehensively cared for.
Don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule a tour of MesaView today!
