The stroke rehabilitation process begins quickly after the medical team stabilizes the individual who experienced the stroke. During this time, the brain has a high plasticity level. Neurons are busy creating new pathways as healing takes place. The types of rehabilitation seniors need depends on the location of the stroke and the extent of the damage. However, puzzles are often recommended for a number of reasons.
Crossword Puzzles
Completing a crossword puzzle involves stimulating the memory to find the right words that match the clues and numbers of squares in the puzzle. Puzzles designed for stroke survivors feature clues that might include the names of everyday objects, popular celebrities, and historic events. Some might have common sayings or require seniors to determine words that match definitions. Filling in the squares gives stroke survivors the opportunity to exercise penmanship skills. Crosswords are available in various levels of difficulty. Larger puzzles are created for older adults with visual impairment.
Conventional Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are ideal for stroke recovery because they challenge seniors to exercise their matching and problem-solving skills. Visual acuity is also needed to assess the colors and shapes of the pieces to determine their proper placement. Manipulating the pieces requires fine motor skills in the fingers and hands. The image depicted on a puzzle might be used to spark a conversation or trigger memories. The pieces of different puzzles come in a wide range of sizes that are easily matched to a senior’s level of dexterity. The number of pieces contained in puzzles also varies.
A professional caregiver can be a wonderful puzzle-solving companion for a senior recovering from a stroke. If you have a senior loved one who needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of home care Pearland families can trust. Our caregivers help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and we offer mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia.
Math Puzzles
Working on math puzzles stimulates the creativity, logic, and memory centers of the brain. The puzzles also sharpen fine motor skills. Some might require simply filling in a blank with the number that completes the equation. Others may involve word puzzles that require formulating an equation to find the answer. The puzzles vary in difficulty, starting with basic math and progressing to more challenging equations.
Certain age-related conditions can make it more challenging for seniors to age in place safely and comfortably, but Pearland live-in care experts are available around the clock to help seniors manage their health. Whether your loved one is living with dementia or recovering from a stroke, you can trust the professional caregivers from Assisting Hands Home Care to enhance his or her quality of life.
Sudoku
A sudoku puzzle features a nine-square grid that contains smaller nine-square grids. Seniors must correctly determine the missing numbers so each grid goes from one to nine without duplicating numbers horizontally or vertically. Stroke survivors must remember how to count from one to nine to complete a sudoku puzzle, which also encourages the use of problem-solving and strategy skills. Seniors must also use pencils to fill in the squares, which promotes fine motor movement.
Word Searches
These puzzles exercise visual acuity as seniors search for each of the words listed in the grid. The words are hidden horizontally, vertically, and diagonally, which makes the search more of a challenge. Recovering stroke survivors might also practice pronouncing each word they’re working on to enhance vocal ability. The words also help seniors rebuild their vocabularies. Circling the words in the grid exercises fine motor skills. The puzzles are available in large print for older adults with visual impairment. They also come in varied levels of difficulty in terms of word length.
Caring for senior loved ones can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Assisting Hands Home Care for the help they need. We provide high-quality in-home care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care. Call us today to learn about our high-quality in-home care services.
