Online Games Designed to Assist Stroke Victims, A.G. RhodesToday, impressive advances in technology sometimes assist people in overcoming health challenges. Elderly stroke patients still comprise a significant percentage of people requiring short-term senior care. A growing body of scientific studies suggest encouraging these individuals to participate in fun Internet-based games (with their physician’s approval, of course) sometimes helps spur patient recovery following a stroke or other incapacitating event.

Playing games on a personal computer, a laptop, a tablet, or a mobile phone offers a simple way to encourage patients to regain flexibility and mental acuity while also having fun! This brief article lists some of the resources available for people in this situation. Some sites and apps offer free services, others require subscription fees:

1. Stop, Breathe, and Think

Download this free app to either an iPhone or an Android phone. It offers a variety of techniques to help alleviate stress: acupressure (a form of self-acupuncture without the needles), guided meditations, and simple breathing exercises. Using the app a few times daily reportedly helps some stroke patients remain calm and enjoy a sunnier outlook on life!

2. Constant Therapy

This app offers a 15-day free trial period. If it proves helpful, patients may subscribe to a paid permanent version. Medical researchers with expertise in Neurology designed this app. It seeks to assist recovering stroke patients by supplying a stream of exercises intended to help restore cognitive skills, speech, memory, reading, and language functions.

3. Luminosity (www.luminosity.com)

This website offers a subscription service allowing customers to sign up to receive customized games designed to stimulate mental acuity, calmness, and memory skills. It serves both completely healthy individuals and patients.

4. Glasses

Use this free iPhone app to magnify labels and text up to 12 times. Many seniors with impaired vision discover value in using this cell phone tool.

5. Peak

This free app, available in both an iPhone and an Android version, lets patients select training drills to enhance memory, cognition, speech, coordination, emotional control, and more. If they choose to do so, customers upgrade to a paid version offering additional games and exercises.

6. Medisafe

This free app reminds patients when to take scheduled medications. It offers both iPhone and Android phone versions.

7. MIRA (www.mirarehab.com)

Health facilities may subscribe to customized games designed to promote patient rehabilitation. The MIRA software assists with stroke recovery.