Games, such as Bingo, have been shown to have positive effects when played by Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients.

One study reported in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementia found that playing Bingo provides mental stimulation that is highly therapeutic to people with cognitive disorders. Individuals participating in the study performed significantly better on measures of cognition. Staff members reported increases in alertness and in awareness in the test subjects for hours after testing.

Bingo has other advantages as a game for dementia patients. It comes not only in the familiar “B-6, N-23” version, but in a number of alternatives that are stimulating on different levels and for different abilities. Players can identify anything from animals to items of food, to body parts. This allows for the game to be played, in one version or another, by patients at different stages of the disease, and to stimulate memories, thought process, or other cognitive abilities.

Also see Daily Activities >