Playing games is a fun way to spend time, make friends, and engage with others, but they can also play an important role in the aging process. As we get older, it is important to keep our brains engaged and working on both cognitive and problem solving skills. Playing games is a great way to promote healthy brain activity and help stave off memory loss.
At Pacifica Senior Living, our communities have a wide range of weekly games and activities for residents to participate in. Here are some of the top games for seniors to help promote healthy brain activity, strengthen memory skills, and make connections with others.
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Bingo:
Bingo is a classic game that seniors love to play! Many have played for years, and enjoy the excitement and anticipation of waiting for your number to be called. It is a relatively simple game, but one that is lots of fun, and is easy to enjoy with friends - making it a great way for seniors to connect with other bingo lovers in their community.
Bingo can also be easily modified for our Memory Care residents. Instead of using traditional number and letter combinations, which may be confusing, colors or pictograms are used. This can help stimulate brain activity, but also ensure that everyone is able to enjoy game times. Almost all our communities host Bingo - many several times a week! Pacifica Senior Living Ocala has a variety of Bingo game types residents can participate in throughout the week. -
Balloon Badminton and Cup Pong:
One of our most popular games in many of our communities is balloon toss. Much like volleyball, it involves hitting a balloon over a net. This is an ideal activity for those who may be less mobile, but still want to exercise. It can be played seated or standing, and residents love laughing and hitting the balloons back and forth to one another.
Similarly, games like cup pong involve tossing a ping pong ball into a plastic cup, this encourages good hand eye coordination, and is a simple way to have some healthy competition - and a lot of fun. Pacifica Senior Living Menifee is just one of the many communities that hosts Balloon Badminton games (on Saturdays) and Cup Pong (on Fridays). -
Trivia:
One of the biggest gifts of a long life is the wealth of knowledge we collect over the years. Trivia is a great game for seniors, as it is a way for them to share their knowledge and stories with each other - and maybe learn something new, too! A lot of our communities will have fun theme trivia days around the holidays. In the past, St. Patrick's Day trivia or Easter related quizzes have been a fun way to get in the spirit. Serra Highlands Senior Living has Spring trivia this month, as well as Jeopardy events. -
Card Games
Card games are a wonderful way to be social. Many of our communities have bridge clubs or host card game nights so residents can enjoy playing their favorite games together. Bridge is both social and encourages problem solving and cognitive activity, good for keeping brains healthy and active. Other popular card games include UNO, Pokeno, or blackjack. Pacifica Senior Living Vista is one of our communities with an active bridge club that meets on Wednesdays and Fridays. They also host UNO games on Saturday afternoons. -
Crosswords / Word Games
Word games are some of the most popular with our residents. Crosswords, word searches, and anagrams are great ways to engage your mind and help keep your memory fresh. Whether it’s on paper or on an electronic device, there are so many word games to choose from! Pacifica Senior Living Chino Hills, for example, hosts the word challenge Monday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings, among other word games. -
Chess
Chess can be a great activity for seniors - it is highly strategic and involves lots of problem solving and forward thinking. A lot of residents may have played this game for many years, or when they were young, so it is both nostalgic and good for keeping the memory and brain sharp and active. Our Pacifica Senior Living Ellensburg community hosts wine and chess nights for game-loving residents - they also have a game social day where friends and families are encouraged to come out and participate in games with their loved ones. -
Rummikub and Dominos
A strategy game that is popular with older adults is Rummikub which involves grouping and pairing similar tiles to make patterns and sets. The game involves quick thinking, strategy, and problem solving. Exercising these skills is a great way for seniors to practice their critical thinking and keep their minds sharp. Dominos is a similar game that is good for practicing matching and pattern recognition, and is often used in Memory Care settings.
Pacifica Senior Living Santa Clarita hosts Rummikub on Sundays at 1pm, and Dominos with their Legacies residents on Fridays at 4pm.
Our dedicated and caring Activity Directors are constantly coming up with fun things to do that are age appropriate, and cater to the specific needs and abilities of the seniors in our community. From memory care games to exercise routines, staying engaged in your community allows residents to get the most out of their golden years.
You can check out all the fun activities in your local community by viewing their activity calendar and newsletters. We also post ongoing photos and videos to our instagram and facebook pages, which show the most up-to-date activities!
