Completing these puzzles requires some level of motor skills to be used in ways that seniors may not need to in their daily lives. This is particularly the case if they happen to live in an assisted living situation where they do not need to partake in routine activities around the home like cooking and cleaning.
Puzzles Are Can Be Worked on Anywhere
It may be challenging for seniors to find a hobby that they can participate in, no matter the weather. Seniors are more susceptible than others to weather that is either excessively hot or excessively cold, so it is essential to find a meaningful hobby that can be done in both an indoor and outdoor setting.
Puzzles are the ultimate answer to the question of what to do on a cold and rainy day. They are a readily-mobile activity because they can be completed on a covered back porch or a table inside. The quality of play does not depend upon external influences like the weather.
You Can Get Puzzles Anywhere
Finally, puzzles are easy to come by; you can purchase them at your local store or online, and there are many different types to choose from. The online purchase method is excellent for seniors because you don’t have to physically visit any store, ideal for older adults with limited mobility.
Best Types of Puzzles for Seniors
To maximize the above-listed mental benefits, you are encouraged to mix things up with different types of puzzles. This is because consistently solving the same kinds of enigmas every day won’t do much to actually challenge the brain in the long-term. (It would be akin to only doing upper body exercises every day and never leg exercises.)
With that said, the following is a summary of some of the best types of puzzles for older adults worth keeping in your inventory:
Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are one of the best types of puzzles for seniors to try their hand at. The reason is that they are easy to complete at your own pace. You can easily step away from it and complete it later.
Jigsaws also come available in varying degrees of difficulty. Some are quite simple on one end of the spectrum (an example would be a picture of birds on a branch). At the opposite end of the spectrum, you will find tricky puzzles with lots of detail. An example of a much more difficult one would be this picture of Times Square in New York.
- HILARIOUS 1000 PIECE JIGSAW PUZZLE: Bring joy and laughter with the 101 Pooping Puppies Puzzle - a...
- VERSATILE GIFT FOR ALL OCCASIONS: Whether it's white elephant gifts for adults, gag gifts or just as...
- EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY: Crafted with precision, this dog jigsaw puzzle features sturdy, well-cut pieces...
- The Awakened Artifacts is a brand new 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle that does a magic trick when you...
- Beautiful, original artwork full of tiny details, including over 50 easter eggs to discover as you...
- Mind-blowing magical ending: we’re using ideas from visual illusions and magic to make this the...
- The Mystic Maze is a brand new 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle that does a magic trick when you finish it
- Beautiful, original artwork full of tiny details, including over 50 easter eggs to discover as you...
- Mind-blowing magical twist ending: we’re using ideas from visual illusions and magic to make this...
Sudoku
Sudoku is another example of a game that will always keep the player mentally engaged since there are typically six different difficulty standards ranging from “beginner” to “diabolical.” You can find a sudoku book here. The book contains over 1,000 different puzzles ranging from beginner to expert in difficulty.
- Compact Design: This stylish Sudoku puzzle book is perfect for travel, fitting easily in your bag...
- Spiral Binding: Allows the book to lay flat while you work, providing a comfortable experience
- 216 Classic Sudoku Puzzles: Exercise your mind with a variety of fun and addictive puzzles for all...
- Publishing XR, Nova (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 116 Pages - 07/05/2021 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
- TASSE, SENIOR (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 184 Pages - 04/24/2023 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
Cryptograms
You may be familiar with cryptograms from newspapers. These are puzzles that start with a well-known quote (either historical or a common phrase) in capital letters but substitute a new letter for each original letter given. The objective is to use your own intuition to decipher the phrase.
This booklet contains a wide variety of cryptogram.
- Material: zinc alloy, plated bronze
- The default password is I LOVE U, which can be modified without restriction. For example, it can be...
- Size and weight: the total length is 5.9 inches, the total width is 2.37 inches, the weight is 1.59...
- Glass, Peter (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 100 Pages - 08/03/2024 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
- Simpson, Fraser (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 140 Pages - 01/25/2021 (Publication Date) - Zarf Puzzles (Publisher)
Word Searches
These types of puzzles will ensure that your vocabulary is kept strong. Word searches also present an opportunity for you to exercise your concentration since you will need to decipher words from a jumbled mess.
You can find an extensive collection of word searches here. Older adults will also find this large print word search booklet to be easy to read.
- Find hundreds of words in an easy to read format - Some words you'll spot easily, but you'll have to...
- A wide range of puzzle topics, including movies, actors, sports, cars, and more!
- Variations on the standard word search puzzles are included for extra challenge.
- Large Print Word Search Books for Adults and Seniors: Pack of 4 Deluxe Easy-To-Read Word Find Puzzle...
- 4 books filled with stimulating word puzzles -- words cleverly hidden in every puzzle.
- Fascinating themes throughout.
- Littlewolf, Martin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 116 Pages - 07/19/2024 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
Vocabulary Games
These types of puzzles typically involve some kind of word association. They may ask you to rhyme with a set of words, pick out which word doesn’t belong to a group or pick a list of words that fit a specific requirement. These are fun brain games that are designed to stave off the onset of memory loss issues. You can find a booklet full of brain games here.
- TIKTOK MADE ME BUY IT–OVER 5 MILLION SOLD! Millions of players around the world can’t get enough...
- INCLUDES 200 PUZZLES! Kanoodle includes 200 addicting 2D & 3D puzzles from beginner basic to...
- 2D & 3D BRAIN TEASER PUZZLE GAME: Kanoodle is a brain teaser puzzle game that includes 12 puzzle...
- THE ORIGINAL RUBIK’S CUBE: A combination of math, art, & science- the iconic Rubik’s Cube is...
- TWIST, TURN, LEARN: The Rubik’s Cube features 6 colored sides, each made up of 9 squares. Once the...
- GREAT FOR ANXIETY RELIEF: This fidget toy pack is not only a fun brain puzzle, this puzzle toy is...
- Publications International Ltd. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 192 Pages - 12/15/2018 (Publication Date) - Publications International, Ltd. (Publisher)
Final Thoughts
Puzzles are primarily cited to help stave off the mental effects associated with aging in seniors. However, there are plenty more benefits of puzzles that go even beyond that, such as helping older adults maintain meaningful relationships and connect with the people around them. They can even help the elderly keep the dexterity of their fingers.
10 Reasons Why Seniors Should Join A Book Club (Expert Tips)
Overall, puzzles have much more to offer seniors than you may think, so pick up an excellent book of word searches for yourself or a loved one and start putting your brain and hands to work!
