Keeping the brain active is just as, if not MORE important for your health than keeping physically active, particularly for the elderly or individuals with a brain injury or disease, such as dementia or a traumatic brain injury.

There are innumerable benefits of attending social gatherings and participating in brain stimulating activities for the elderly and dementia patients. An active social life allows individuals to feel a level of independence when they sometimes need round-the-clock care, it can ease any sense of loneliness a resident in a nursing home might have, promotes an all-round happier, more motivated lifestyle and can even help to slow down brain related symptoms of aging.

Ever since our inception in the mid 1980’s we have placed a strong emphasis on incorporating stimulating brain activities into the daily lives of the residents at our residential care homes.  

Throughout this time our healthcare nurses and specialists have determined and hand-picked the most effective activities that motivate brain activity and engagement, without crossing the fine line of placing too much strain and pressure on an individual, otherwise leaving them feeling overwhelmed.

Here are some ways Select Healthcare help residents of our elderly care and dementia care homes to keep their brains stimulated and active:

TAKE A LOCAL WALK IN THE COMMUNITY

Time and time again, studies prove that short walks every day – or even just a couple of times per week – are a great way to keep active and stimulated both physically and mentally, especially in the elderly and mental health patients, dementia for example.

In all of our Select Healthcare residential homes, we accompany our residents on short walks around the local community every day, to ensure all residents are taking in fresh air, having light exercise and stimulating their brain.

Not only this, our local walks help residents to integrate with the local community and see some familiar faces, or even new faces. With our assistance you won’t have to worry about your or your loved ones well-being and safety while out and about in the local community.

MUSIC

A firm favourite activity in our elderly care and dementia care homes is listening to music. Music is a universal mood booster, memory jogger and an emotion evoker, so we really try to take advantage of this is our nursing homes, for the emotional happiness and benefits of our residents.

Music is more powerful than many people realise. Music can sometimes help to restore some cognitive functions in dementia patients as well as transport them, and seniors, to key events in their life, regardless of how far in the past they may be, and this can have significant benefits on a resident’s mental health and happiness.

Our healthcare nurses regularly play music in our elderly and dementia residential homes, in particular music originating from the era of our residents and from their younger years. This evokes joyful memories and stimulates the brain to think of the finer details of the remembered event or time in their life in question.

FUN, FRIENDLY QUIZZES

A light-hearted quiz or a bit of daily trivia is a great way to keep the brain engaged, active and motivated for people of all age, especially those of a senior age. They are a great tool to encourage interaction as residents initiate their own quiz team or group.

Not only this, quizzes bring about a sense of fun and excitement, right? There is nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition!

In our residential care homes we host quizzes a couple of times a week, maybe more if we can sense our residents are enjoying themselves.

BAKING

Many seniors have spent their life baking and cooking for friends and family, but sadly, they sometimes reach an age where this becomes impossible. In dementia patients, there comes a point where baking and cooking can actually become DANGEROUS.

Seniors have such a love for baking and it evokes so many fond memories that it is a shame when they have to take a back seat, but they don’t have to in a Select Healthcare residential home.

Our healthcare nurses and care assistants regularly host baking sessions with all of our residents in our care homes to ensure they can still get involved with an activity they all know and love, and maybe one that returns fond memories of their younger years.

We don’t put pressure on our residents to take part in any activities they don’t enjoy, and the above is just a small insight into the on goings in our care homes.  From exercise and massages, to shopping, hairdressers and beauty, to world affairs, arts and crafts, scrabble and beyond, we try to incorporate a wide variety of mental and physically invigorating actives that will cater to the tastes of all of our residents.

For more information on any of our residential care homes or locate local home, you can visit our ‘Find a Care Home’ page. Or for more detailed queries, feel free to contact us on 01384 217 900.

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