elderly Archives - Senior Care Central

Guest Blog: Top 5 Indoor Games for Senior Citizens to Play

Playing games with older relatives is a great way to keep older family members.

Engaged
Alarm
Concentrate

Also, while building muscles, it showed them a good time!

For the elderly, playing fun, low-impact brain games may be a good way to stay sharp and alert at all times. Research has shown that older adults who often stimulate their brains through active, educational activities tend to score higher on memory and cognitive tests than those who do not participate in sports.

Clear the board game on the top of the cabinet and use it. Indoor games may be one of the best ways to keep the elderly mentally healthy and active. It does more than providing entertainment. Chess is an amazing game to play, and the best chess learning rules seem simple and easy to learn, but the skills involved are huge and bring many health and psychological benefits. It can make your mind young, active, and entertaining at the same time.

We have compiled 5 top memory games for adults: Here are five indoor activities for the elderly, which are sure to make you spend a pleasant day.

Complete a Puzzle
Play Board and Card Games
Chess and Checkers
Card Games
Sudoku

Complete a Puzzle:

Word games for the elderly, such as crossword puzzles, can help maintain a memory. The challenge of the puzzle helps the brain to form and maintain connections. Crosswords involve the left and right sides of the brain. Older adults’ word games also require logical reasoning. Crossword puzzles can also help,

Older people learn new words
Recall vocabulary

Playing crosswords can promote,

Relaxation, which can have a healing
Calming effect, especially during a busy week
Older people don’t have to complete the crossword puzzles alone! For families, this is a fun activity that can be done together, or it can be a bond for a group of older adults.

Play Board and Card Games:

Card games are a great way to think spontaneously, entertain and get along with others, and many games can be used by any number of players, from two to ten or more. Many seniors grew up playing card games, so be sure to ask them what games they like. Some seniors may prefer active and considerate games, such as bridge games or poker games. For others, playing simpler games such as,

Blackjack
War may be more fun

You can study other card games such as Uno that go beyond traditional game rules.

Chess and Checkers:

Chess is an amazing game. These rules seem simple and easy to understand, but the skills involved are huge. For decades, playing chess has been easy, and you can never really stop learning the subtleties of the game. Chess is about strategy, problem-solving, and footstep thinking. It is a great game for older people to participate and stay mentally active while having fun at the same time. Checkers is an improved version of the game, with fewer pieces and simpler rules, and a good choice. Is it better? The manufacturer’s chessboards and chessboards come in many different shapes and styles, including larger versions designed specifically for seniors with weaker vision and motor skills.

Card Games

Sudoku

Sudoku is a popular pencil puzzle. It requires you to use problem-solving skills in a fun and easy-to-learn way. Sudoku can be used on almost any digital platform and traditional paper. Besides, you can play it online. Sudoku requires logic and memory skills, which can push the brain to establish connections. Strategic thinking can also help you improve your concentration and ability to make decisions in a short period. Besides, when you complete the puzzle correctly, there will be a sense of pride and achievement. Sudoku is not the only game that can help older people build memory.

By Jim|2025-01-02T13:01:38-05:00January 18th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

4 Ways to Turn Your Walk Into a Workout

While senior fitness offerings continue to explode in gyms around the country, the age-old tradition of simply ‘going for a walk’ still touts loads of health benefits, especially for older adults.

Brisk walking a offers low-impact activity that is relatively simple, can be done most anywhere, is fun to do with friends, and is easily modifiable to increase calorie burn. In addition to strengthening your bones and muscles, routine walking can also help prevent lifestyle conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as improve your balance, coordination, and even your mood.

If you are looking for quick ways to take your daily walk to the next level, don’t miss these expert tips:

Speed Up
The best exercise is that which gets your heart rate up to at least 55 to 85% of your MHR (maximum heart rate). The formula for MHR = 220 – your age. So if you are 65, for example, your maximum heart rate is around 155. Speeding up your walk so your heart rate climbs over 109 (70% of 155) for at least 10 minutes is going to count as good aerobic exercise that is helping strengthen your heart muscle.

Climb Hills
Walking up an incline naturally requires the body to work harder and use up more energy. This can help you build endurance over time and tone muscle groups in your legs you weren’t previously engaging. If you are concerned about a weak knee, reduce lateral knee movement and prevent discomfort with a knee brace specifically designed for walking.

Change Terrain
Instead of doing your usual walk around the roads in your neighborhood, head to a local trail and take a hike. Hiking up and downhill will burn more calories as well as pose a greater challenge to your balance and coordination skills. Exercising like this in nature has also been shown to boost feelings of attentiveness and positivity.

Add Intervals
Incorporate more intervals of high-intensity activity into your walk and you can both improve your endurance and aerobic capacity as well as give your metabolism a boost. 5 minutes of brisk walking punctuated with 30 seconds of squats, lunges, or crunches, followed by another 5 minutes of walking and then 1 minute of jogging and so on and so forth also spices up your walking routine and makes it a little more fun.

By Jim|2025-01-14T14:58:09-05:00January 14th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

8 Fun Activities for Seniors with Mobility Issues

Do mobility issues have your aging parent down in the dumps? Losing the ability to get around independently can definitely strike a blow to confidence and wellbeing levels. Mobility issues don’t need to stifle a senior’s sense of purpose or enjoyment of life though. Don’t miss these 8 fun activity ideas for seniors with mobility issues:

Board games – bring on the board games and give your loved one a cognitive boost. Everything from cards to Scrabble to Monopoly, Dominos, and Checkers is a great place to start. Stock up on gently used board games from local re-stores like Goodwill and invite friends and family to join in on the fun.

Puzzles – putting puzzles together stimulates critical thinking and problem-solving skills as well as engages spatial awareness and concentration. Don’t reserve your fun to jigsaw puzzles either; games like Sudoku and Jenga have similar brain-boosting effects too!

Cooking – maybe standing at the stove to stir a big pot isn’t feasible, but mixing a green salad at a lower table is. Or helping scoop cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Cooking with your aging parent not only gives them something fun to do but helps them feel like a productive contributor in the home too.

Chair exercises – routine workouts are critical for all older adults, even people who are limited to canes, walkers or wheelchairs. Physical fitness helps prevent unwanted weight gain and lifestyle diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Guides to chair exercises and exercises for those recovering from injuries like fractured hips can be found online.

Art project – get the creative juices flowing and find an art project geared towards your loved one’s interests. Perhaps it is painting on a canvas, collaging, knitting, coloring, making jewelry, or even simply framing family photos – the act of creating something can is truly invigorating.

Planting – potting plants is easy and accessible when your loved one can sit in a chair at a table. Mixing soil, placing plants inside pots, and even snipping dead leaves or picking herbs are monthly activities that your loved one can do with minor assistance.

Reading – Nothing beats a good book. If your loved one is unable to hold a book or see words on a page, audiobooks are a great alternative (and can be borrowed for free at your local library).

Video chatting – for seniors with mobility limitations, social isolation is a very prevalent and dangerous reality. Technology makes it easy, however, to connect with friends and family near and far via free services like Skype, Google Hangouts or Facetime. You simply need a smartphone or webcam with speakers for your computer.

By Jim|2025-01-02T12:59:21-05:00January 8th, 2025|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: Technological Solutions That Assist the Elderly

According to the Census Bureau, as of 2011, seniors make up 13.3 percent of the U.S. population. By 2060, seniors are expected to account for at least 20 percent of the population. For many centuries now, the needs of seniors have been taken care of accordingly.

They have doctors who look after them and a caregiver, nurse, or family member who helps ensure they can move around comfortably. However, seniors today are aging at the best time. Thanks to continued advancements in technology, staying healthier and more independent has never been easier.

Fortunately, technology help for seniors nowadays has never been better. For starters, the elderly now have access to a vast range of inspired and practical gadgets that are designed to meet their ever-evolving medical and emotional needs.

Fascinating Technological Solutions for the Elderly

Below are some of the fantastic technological innovations that have helped seniors live fulfilling, happier, and more active lives:

Intuition Robotics

Founded in 2016, this company aims to help older adults avoid feelings of social isolation and loneliness—issues that have been known to contribute to poor health. Their debut product is a robot called ElliQ, hailed as a “sidekick for happier aging.”

ElliQ is designed to initiate conversations that can help seniors engage in healthy behaviors (i.e., nudges to take medications), stay in touch with their friends and loved ones, and stay connected with the outside world.

ElliQ can also check the weather and can determine if it’s conducive for a walk. Loved ones and friends can also interact with ElliQ and can send photos through the app. The pre-order cost for the product is at $1,500 and the monthly fee is set at $30.

Neuro Rehab VR

Neuro Rehab VR was founded in 2017. Their primary goal is to provide a virtual reality experience for elderly patients that are undergoing physical therapy following a brain or spinal cord injury, stroke, and other degenerative diseases.

What makes the VR experience even more phenomenal is how targeted the technology is. By using machine learning, they tailor exercises based on the patient’s specific ability and therapy needs.

The bespoke virtual therapy exercises also record kinematic and physiological responses and quantify the patient’s progress with scores and metrics. Patients are also transported to a virtual world that covers a vast range of situations.

VitalTech

a cloud-based platform that specializes in patient wellness and health through connected care. Their latest offering, VitalBand, was launched in June of 2018. VitalBand is an emergency fall-detection and call-out watch.

VitalBand is also used to track vital signs like oxygen saturation, respiratory and heart rate, physical activity, and sleep quality. It also provides users with medication reminders.

If a fall is detected, an alert goes to a certified call center to dispatch emergency services. If the senior prefers that a loved one is notified first, the fall alert can be sent to up to five preconfigured family members through email or text.

Conclusion

With so many breakthrough technological innovations now designed to help the elderly, they can now look forward to a future where they can enjoy healthier, happier, and longer lives.

About the Author

Melissa Andrews is the Content Marketing Strategist for Paradise Living Centers, an assisted living center for seniors with locations in Paradise Valley and Phoenix, Arizona. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and going on hiking trips with her siblings and cousins.

By Jim|2024-12-02T13:07:46-05:00December 21st, 2024|Dr. Mauk's Boomer Blog, News Posts|Comments Off

Guest Blog: How to Make a Difference in the Lives of Seniors in Your Community

From the loneliness and isolation that many seniors face to the physical impairments or disabilities that may limit their ability to perform some daily tasks on their own, many aging adults could benefit from the assistance of other members in their community. If you’re interested in helping seniors living in your neighborhood, the following resources will familiarize you with the different challenges that many aging adults face, as well as some of the things you can do to help out.

The Challenges of Growing Older

There is a saying that growing older is not for sissies, and in a sense that is very true. It stems, of course, from the fact that the strength and vibrance of our bodies and minds can wane over the years. Being aware of the challenges older people face can help you recognize opportunities and define your responses to them.

Explore this comprehensive guide to issues facing seniors
Seniors who are growing older without partners or family close by face unique struggles
Growing older means coming to grips with one’s mortality; be sensitive to the spiritual needs seniors experience
Among their challenges, basic needs like performing household tasks and meal preparation can be difficult for seniors
Falling is a major health concern for seniors, even in their own homes

What You Can Do to Help

Sometimes finding opportunities isn’t the hardest part of assisting seniors; sometimes it’s finding practical solutions. Seniors face problems big and small that you can solve, though. Thankfully, most of those solutions are surprisingly straightforward, and really just require a little bit of thinking outside the box. Explore these simple strategies for some of the concerns you might realize are part of an older adult’s life.

Isolation is a common health issue for seniors but there are practical solutions
Being homebound is an issue for many seniors
Teaching technology to seniors is a great way to connect them with others and help them feel engaged, even if they are homebound
An Echo Dot is an affordable device for seniors that allows them to perform a variety of practical tasks
Most seniors can get comfortable with smart speakers like Alexa pretty quickly with a few pointers, and they reap many benefits
Taking quick, easy and healthy meals to seniors helps to ensure they receive proper nutrition
Another idea is to set up a senior with grocery delivery for fresh meals
Senior Care Central offers individualized care solutions for seniors

If your family is interested in giving back to seniors in your community, this guide will help you to get started. By sharing your time, helping a senior neighbor with housework, and cooking meals for aging adults in your community, you’ll be making a difference in the lives of local seniors.

By Jim|2024-12-02T13:06:43-05:00December 13th, 2024|News Posts|Comments Off

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