per
New Member
Posts: 1 
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Post by per on Jan 6, 2010 23:27:56 GMT -5
My mother is starting with Alzheimer's. She has been playing basic computer games to keep her mind sharp. She thinks playing these games on a regular basis reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease. I've heard of this exercise for adults with attention deficit disorder or dementia too. Has anyone seen any research on this? Does this help? Here are two good brain exercisers we play: classicgam.es/tetris/classicgam.es/circle-the-cat/Thanks  |
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Post by alice on Jan 7, 2010 9:22:37 GMT -5
Welcome to this family Per. I am sorry about your Mother starting with Alzheimers..do feel at home here and know this family cares about you and your dear mother. Please let us help in any way that we can. I don't know of any research that says playing these games will reduce the risk of AD but really feel it is worth doing especially since your mother believes in it. My husband was diagnosed with AD in 98 and he loved all board games especially Scrabble and Monopoly. We continued to play Scrabble for a while even if he didn't always spell the words correctly he enjoyed winning. With Monopoly that was more frustrating as he no could no longer make the change for a 5 dollar bill. He did not like the computer at all. Later I found he enjoyed flash cards of things he had enjoyed in life like sports, animals and nature you could use the computer in this way also. Did he get them all right no but he used his brain trying and I feel that is what is important with AD. Puzzles also work and there are puzzles on the Internet since your Mom is still comfortable with that but may become more difficult for her to do then you could perhaps just use the regular puzzles with bigger and less pieces.. I feel personally any games that stimulates the brain has to help in some way. I would encourage your Mother to continue with these basic computer games as long as she enjoys them and does not become anxious or frustrated doing them...perhaps at that time introduce something more simpler for her to do..just a thought. To me it is worth the time and effort to let our LO continue to do as much as possible even with AD in the picture.. I will post today some info that the WII is now being used to help those with AD and I think that is amazing and good news. I could see my husband doing some kind of sports early in the disease. You may want to look into this per..perhaps for her physical and mental exercise...both so important I personally feel.. Encouraging HUGS and welcome dear per..alice |
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Post by snowylynne9 on Jan 7, 2010 12:55:00 GMT -5
I have Vascular Dementia & play most the games at pogo.com.Some I don't understand but I don't have time to worry about it.I just play & enjoy...
I'm also on a bowling league(online) on Pogo,I win alot but lose too,lol.......
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Post by soobe1 on Jan 7, 2010 14:51:10 GMT -5
Welcome Per, My husband had Vascular Dementia and enjoyed playing solitaire on the computer during his early years of dementia. Even when his VD progressed to more memory loss he still played, made mistakes and we never corrected him. Good luck.
Hugs,
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Post by larousse on Jan 9, 2010 14:11:45 GMT -5
Welcome, Per. Sorry you are going to watch your mother on this journey. My DH's aunt started playing video games for the same reason many years ago. I don't know that it ever helped but it certainly didn't hurt. The general opinion is that the brain isn't a muscle and use/non-use doesn't cause or prevent atrophy. But we're not dealing with atrophy, per se. To use the analogy of muscle tissue, there are, I think, disease processes that waste muscle tissue and all the exercise in the world won't stop that process. Same here. But it could be, especially if computer games are new to your mother, that a new activity could help construct new neural pathways that may be of use when other pathways become damaged. But I'm just guessing.
I would not stop my mother from any activity she wanted to be involved with. But if you see signs of obsessiveness or frustration, you may want to get an expert opinion as to whether it's worth it. That's just my humble opinion - my mother is pretty far down the road with this DD and I wish she would enjoy doing something...
Again, welcome aboard. In the future, you may want to post your questions in the "Alzheimer's General Discussion" section of this board. It will be read more.
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I am no longer able to hold your hand my beloved but I cherish the remembrance of your hand in mine...and the wonderful person that touched so many lives with joy. : ) 
