Brain Games and Puzzles Welcome and Introduction Who likes to play brain games/complete puzzles (of any kind… word, sudoku, picture, etc.)? What kinds of things do you do? Why do you do it? That will be the gist of today’s presentation! What kinds of brain games/puzzles are there (that you can complete independently or by taking advantage of our community’s resources) What are the benefits of each/what good are they?

General Appeal Many people engage in brain games and puzzles because… They are a FUN way to keep your mind sharp There are many varieties of games you can play There’s something for everyone! They are easy to do Purchase a book, puzzle, or game Access online or on your computer Use the Dakim/community resource

General Benefits Improve skills required for the specific games/puzzles you engage in Potentially delay dementia by building up your cognitive reserve First bullet – its important to understand that if you want to improve your short term memory (for example), the games and puzzles you play must require that skill (i.e. sudoku probably wont help with memory, but it could help strengthen reasoning skills) Second bullet - Cognitive reserve theory is that if you have more and stronger neural connections in your brain, then you will have a reserve built up when dementia threatens Kind of like when you complete prehab for a surgery (strengthening muscles and joints so the surgery doesn’t set you back as far as it would have if you went in with weak muscles and joints)

Number Games/Puzzles Examples Sudoku Math problems What good is it? Computation skills Reasoning skills Maybe have a picture here of sudoku and explain the game Discuss how computation and reasoning are used in every day life (i.e. leaving a tip, coordinating a holiday gathering)

Word Games/Puzzles Examples Crossword Puzzles Riddles Scrabble What good are they? Long term memory Word processing skills Crossword – you’re given a clue and you have to come up with a word that fits the clue and has the correct number of letters. Sometimes intersecting words can help by filling in some of the letters of other words. Riddles – i.e. I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I? (let the residents guess) – candle (there are other items that work here… lipstick, a pencil, etc.) Scrabble – each player has 7 tiles at a time and places them on a board in such a way as to obtain the most points (certain letters are worth more than others, and certain spaces on the board are worth more) Second bullet – recalling facts, figures, spelling that you haven’t used in a long time; continuing to practice reading, writing, spelling, etc. (important for communication and understanding language)

Card/Board Games and Puzzles Examples Jigsaw Puzzles Bridge Monopoly What good are they? Planning and reasoning Spatial skills Short term memory They’re socially engaging too! Jigsaw – fitting pieces of the board together to make the full picture Bridge – strategic card game Monopoly – strategic board game What good are they – planning and reasoning in any games of strategy, spatial skills for puzzles, short term memory to remember plays, where puzzle pieces are, etc., engage your brain socially (remembering names, previous conversations, asking and responding… its all mentally engaging)

Online Resources Examples Luminosity BrainHQ from Posit Science Fit Brains by Rosetta Stone What good are they? Challenge you in a variety of cognitive domains Difficulty adjusts to your skill level There are many more options out there, but these are 3 of my favorites. They all at least have a free trial, but require subscriptions and regular fees to use all the functions of the resource. You can also access them from your smart phone or tablet to take them with you! All options include brain challenges for a large number of cognitive skills. You can expect to be challenged in ALL areas of cognition AND at the level of difficulty that is appropriate for you. These systems track progress and give you feedback on how you’re doing.

Dakim Similar to online resources in previous slide FREE! Using your community’s touch screen system Specially designed for seniors Fun and engaging content VERY user friendly Dakim provides an introduction video, a Q&A document, pamphlets, and other resources that you can use in this section of the presentation if you community has a Dakim

Recommendations Engage in brain games and puzzles often Try all different varieties Find something that you enjoy doing! Neurologic studies show that regular mental exercise (20 minutes, 3 times each week) can reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s disease by up to 70% Trying something new is best

Questions?