How to Play Memory Games With Seniors

Help a senior's short term and long term memory by playing memory games. Everyone's memory changes with age, so you can keep the aging brain active by playing memory games. No one is ever too old to play games. Follow these directions to play fun memory games with seniors.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Have several people sit in a circle. Start the game by saying, "I am going on a trip to Florida and in my suitcase I am taking a shirt."

2. Ask the person beside you to say the same thing but add another item to the suitcase. The person will say, "I am going on a trip to Florida and in my suitcase I am taking a shirt and a [fill in the blank]."

3. Continue to play around the circle until it comes back to you. You end the game by reciting the original saying and remembering all the items added to the suitcase.

4. Ask a senior to look around a room they are familiar with like a bedroom, then ask the person to leave the room for a minute.

5. Switch a few things in the room or hide some things. Ask the senior to return and tell you what has moved or what is missing.

6. Help seniors write daily journals at the end of each day. Ask them to remember each thing they did and write each thing down. Tell them to visualize their day if they are having trouble remembering the things they did.

7. Make a game of it by trying to remember hour by hour. Ask them to remember more each day than they did the day before. See who can remember the most details.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient and help people who are having trouble remembering things.

Resources

• Click on the Senior Center for more information.