Dementia is not just one disease, says Johns Hopkins. Rather, it's a collection of symptoms such as memory loss, mood swings and personality changes that interfere with one's ability to lead a normal life. While there is no cure for these symptoms, or the diseases that cause them such as Alzheimer's, performing mental exercises every day could help people with dementia retain some of their mental faculties.
Instruction
For treating dementia-related memory loss, one exercise is to have the person with dementia instruct others. Johns Hopkins University found that older people with memory issues were able to recall much more information and in greater detail when asked for advice or how to do something. Putting older adults in situations where they can help people perform tasks, such as cooking a favorite dish, can assist in memory maintenance.
Puzzles
Solving puzzles is another way to stimulate the mind in a person with dementia. Jigsaw puzzles challenge recall and memory and make for a fun activity with the family. Crossword puzzles also help people recall words and maintain vocabulary, says USA Today.
Games
Games are fun and make for nice social experiences for people with dementia. They can also stimulate memory function and give people a chance to use memory skills, says The Boston Globe. Computerized games that intend to stimulate memory recall may help as can reaction time testing games. The social interaction encountered during games like checkers may provide more of a lasting benefit, however.
