People take memory for granted, but it’s incredibly important. Of course, memory helps you retain sentimental memories, but it can also prevent life-threatening accidents. Memory helps you remember that you left something on the ground that could be a hazard.
Sadly, your loved one is losing this faculty of the brain, which is one reason short-term senior care is needed. There’s a lot you can do to try to boost memory, and one thing people don’t consider are video games.
Why Video Games?
The reason people don’t link seniors to video games is that most people think games are for younger folks.
Even game designers think this way because most of their games are designed to appeal to younger generations. Even if you’re an avid gamer, you probably can’t think of one game that caters to seniors.
If you want to do everything you can to help your elder loved one, then you teach your loved one to play video games. This could be done while under the care of a senior care center or when your loved one returns home.
The following are some reasons video games seem to be effective for folks who need to boost their memory:
- Video games offer rich environments.
- Environments change often.
- Hunger to win promotes memorization.
The brain’s cognitive functions can improve when you’re exposed to stimulating environments, and gaming offers that stimulation. It also uses a person’s desire to win along with emotions like excitement to promote memorization and learning.
Why is Gaming Even More Suitable Now?
The reality is that your loved one can’t go out as much. Nature is stimulating, but it’s harder to take strolls as you age, and it could be dangerous for someone with memory issues. Mobility impairments can also affect seniors more often than younger folks. Plus, the outdoors also exposes seniors to viral pandemics.
Because of things like that, encouraging seniors to learn about gaming and getting them into this world seems wise. Gaming continues to grow in popularity, and there are many games out there to explore. Some of these games require advanced gaming systems, but a number of them only require a smartphone.
As you can see, gaming shouldn’t be just for the young; it should be for everyone including your elderly loved ones who might benefit from them if it helps improve their memory.