4 Reasons Puzzles are great for Memory Care residents

​It always feels good to find a piece of a puzzle! Melody Living Lake in the Hills’ memory care community members gather to do puzzles together every Friday afternoon. The activity supports our focus on the Eight Dimensions of Wellness. Here are four reasons why puzzles are great for your senior loved one living with dementia.
 
Calm & Comfort
Puzzles take patience. Putting together a puzzle is calming and has a therapeutic effect on the brain. Puzzles allow seniors living with dementia the ability to focus and, in turn, experience the feeling of contentment. Puzzles are an excellent way for our memory care residents to achieve intellectual and emotional wellness. 

​Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are critical when putting pieces of a puzzle together. Picking up each piece and trying to fit it together with another puzzle piece helps seniors achieve physical wellness. In addition, the simple, repetitive motion promotes hand strength, raising residents' confidence and ability to do tasks independently.
 
Awaken Memories
Puzzles with color photos of people, places, and things, can awaken emotional wellness in memory care residents. The amount of time spent putting a puzzle together allows the resident to reflect on what they see and stimulates the brain in several areas. Health experts believe this process can bring back new memories, making puzzles an excellent therapy practice for people living with Alzheimer's disease.
 
Promote Social Wellness 
The next time you visit your senior loved one, consider bringing a puzzle. The slow-paced activity allows for great conversation providing social wellness. Of course, you can talk about the colors, shapes, and sizes of the pieces. Our senior living community has several puzzles to choose from; just ask!
 
To learn more about Melody Living Lake in the Hills’ memory care, please call us at 847.957.7070.