Just about everyone has worked on a jigsaw puzzle at some point in their lives. Whether it’s part of a fun family activity or a quiet moment of relaxation, puzzles are a familiar pastime for many. For those receiving companion care at home services, jigsaw puzzles can offer an engaging and rewarding way to pass the time. No matter the shape, size, or image, solving a jigsaw puzzle involves recreating an image by piecing it back together in the correct order.
While it may seem like a simple activity, working on a puzzle is a wonderful way to keep the brain active and provide mental stimulation, helping it stay healthy and strong.
Three Cognitive Benefits of Working on a Puzzle
- It reduces the rate of cognitive decline, no matter what stage of cognitive decline your loved one is at. Whether your loved one is sharp as a tack or in the early stages of dementia, working on a jigsaw puzzle can provide mental stimulation that activates brain function and reduces the rate of memory loss.
- It helps reduce stress. Searching for particular puzzle pieces or even sorting them out (putting all of the edge pieces in one area) is an act of meditation and thoughtfulness that allows the mind to disengage from intrusive negative thoughts or worry. It’s a form of meditation that lowers blood pressure and slows breathing.
- It boosts positive feelings. Each time a correct piece is placed in the puzzle, the brain gets a nice little hit of dopamine, increasing feelings of accomplishment, self-worth, and confidence. A finished puzzle is the ultimate success that is worthy of celebrating!
How to Make Jigsaw Puzzles Friendly for Your Senior
Jigsaw puzzles can offer great mental health benefits, but choosing the wrong one may lead to frustration or anxiety. That’s why selecting the right puzzle is essential, especially when providing companion care at home.
- Look for puzzles that match your loved one’s cognitive abilities—smaller puzzles with simpler images can help ensure success if larger, more complex puzzles feel overwhelming.
- Also, consider their physical abilities; pieces that are too small may be hard to pick up for those with arthritis.
- Lastly, create a well-lit and comfortable space to work on puzzles together, fostering a positive and engaging environment with the help of companion care at home providers.
Jigsaw Puzzles Can Help Social Interactions
If your senior is introverted or has a hard time connecting with visitors they don’t initially know very well, such as their companion care at home provider, a jigsaw puzzle can be a great bridge to building those relationships. Having someone like a companion care at home provider sit by his side and help him find the right piece for placement into the image allows your loved one and their companion care at home provider to build camaraderie as they work together to solve the puzzle or even just find one right piece.
His companion care at home attendant can provide the human connection your loved one needs, but may not ask for, by simply sitting with them and working on a puzzle, cheering them on when they find the right piece, and offering support and even help when that piece of the puzzle eludes them.
It’s amazing how sometimes the simplest of items provide the most benefit to those who use them.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Companion Care at Home in Kenmore, WA, please contact the caring staff at Acti-Kare Responsive In Home Care today!
Acti-Kare provides exceptional senior home care across King County, Pierce County, and Snohomish County; including Bellevue, Kirkland, Kenmore, Bothell, Lynnwood, Woodinville, Redmond, Sammamish, Shoreline, Everett, Renton, Tacoma, and surrounding areas.
