I once worked full time in a nursing home/apartment building for the elderly as an activity assistant. Now I am on call to work, and I enjoy it very much! The residents are at all levels of function. Here are some fun, interactive games to enjoy together. (These are great for kids, too!)
*I use the term resident for the elderly throughout the article.
Bingo: Huge favorite of all levels of functioning! I would say the most residents come for this game.
All players get one card. Hand out enough chips to cover card for each player. Residents who cannot hear or see well can have a volunteer sit next to them and assist. The “caller” of numbers uses a microphone due to poor hearing of residents. First person to get “bingo” yells it out and chooses a prize.
Prizes are donated or bought from Wal-Mart or the Dollar Tree. Favorite prizes: Stamps, jewelry, small single boxed cereals, bananas, single bags of snacks, single serving soup, chocolate, playing cards, stationary cards especially birthday and holidays, socks, children gifts for when grandchildren come to visit.
You can also play a round of “first person to completely cover their bingo card” wins a larger prize. Any larger item that has been donated as the winning prize.
Ask the residents if they would like to donate a quarter or use their own quarters. (Only residents that are capable of making their own decisions can bring money to the bingo room.) Then give the winner a choice to choose a prize or donate their quarter to a charity fund.
Example: Save enough money to sponsor a family at Christmas time with a dinner and gifts. It will make the resident feel they are a useful part of society.
You can have Christmas bingo using red and green bingo cards. Easter bingo using bunnies, eggs or crosses as chips. Any holiday you can change the bingo cards with a stamped pattern as something extra special.
Kings in the Corner: Lay a big piece of felt cut out as a square on the table. Trace cards where the cards will be placed. Trace four card places in each corner for the “king” cards. Between each king card in the corner trace a card. There should be four. In the center trace one card for one deck of cards to sit. Take out two joker cards and set aside. This felt will make it easier to slide the cards around the table for each person to reach.
Everyone gets five cards. The remaining deck of cards is put in the middle spot. Take one card for four open spots not in the corner and place upright. (That is reserved for the four king cards, hence the name King’s in the Corner.)
(If more than four players pass out four cards to each player.) Two to eight people may play. It is more fun with at least four people.
Start with player to the left of the dealer. Player draws one card. Play the king card in the corner if you have, first. Next play any card you are able on the four upright cards.
Example: If there is a card that is an eight, place a nine on top. Overlap cards but make sure you can still see the card beneath. Cards get played Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9. 10. Jack, Queen, and King. It works like Solitaire except you can use any suit. Only the number placement matters.
If you have a 5 in one card spot and a 6 in another card spot. Take the 6 and put on top of the 5. Now you have an open card spot to play your lowest card in your hand.
The person out of cards first wins the game. You can continue to play until all players are out of their cards.
Any resident is able to play that can sit up. An assistant can help play the cards. A card holder (wooden or plastic) can be used to hold up cards.
Trivia: Using the resident’s minds. Residents love this! It keeps their brain moving and learning. You can use Google to print out facts on any subject. Then take the facts and turn it into a question. A big favorite of the residents with dementia and Alzheimer’s. All levels of functioning; unless not able to communicate at all or does not understand.
Go around the room asking a question. Or have resident say the answer if they know it.
Use trivia questions to fit the person’s capability.
Keep folders for trivia questions to reuse for another date.
You may have a theme such as Christmas trivia, food trivia, animal trivia, old time movies, Easter trivia, ocean trivia, big bands and music trivia, miscellaneous trivia, etc.
What Am I? Take a tray of items from the Activities Room at the nursing home or your house. For example: Odd shaped items, spoons, massage tool, etc. Hold up items one at a time. Have each resident give a use for what the item could be used for besides its normal purpose. Fun and creative!
As long as the resident is capable of processing questions, they are able to play. Some people may just enjoy listening.
Finish My Picture: Start the drawing of about five different pictures. Make enough copies of pictures for how many people you expect to do this game. One person will see a birdhouse and turn the beginning of your drawing into that. Another will see a church or an outhouse. Very interesting to see how each mind perceives things.
Just about any resident is able to play this unless they cannot see well or are unable to write or feed themselves.
Hangman: What you will need is a large marker board. Residents all sitting at the table(s) where they are able to see. Choose a word. Draw a hangman post which means draw an upside down capital “J”.
Draw lines underneath the “J post” of how many letters are in the word the residents have to guess.
Give a clue: Example: (The word is “fish.” ) It is considered a relaxing sport. Or you can eat it. Go around the room and each player takes a turn giving a letter to the activity assistant. If the letter is there, write it on the blank line it is to go on.
If the player is incorrect, no letter in the word, then a head is drawn. Then a neck, body, arm, second arm, leg, second leg. The man is hung if no one guesses the word by the time he is all drawn. Give word answer. Usually it does not come to this. Most residents can play unless they are now to the point where they are unable to speak.
Shut The Box 12: By CHH Games. Wooden box dice game. Each person flips up the numbers one through twelve. Shake two dice. The total value of the dice is added up. Flip up numbers that equal that.
For example: Number eight is shaken. Flip up the number eight to cover it. The same player goes again. They roll another eight. The player can add up four, one, and three to add up to an eight. Player can continue to roll dice until he or she can no longer cover any numbers.
The numbers left uncovered are added up and put on a score sheet. First person to 100 loses.
That is how we play. Or we keep playing until our time is up. We add up the numbers. The person with the least amount of numbers wins.
The box shows other directions as you may play the game.
Great for using the brain as residents are doing math.
Any resident who is able to shake dice may play. You can help person shake dice, too, and add them up so they can still be a part of the group.
One thing I have learned working at a nursing home, usually winning isn’t a huge priority. The companionship is much more important to the residents.
Wiz Kids: By Discovery Toys. There are two stacks of cards. Choose a question such as: Something that smells. Now choose from the second stack of cards a letter. Letter H is chosen. Answer: Head cheese or anything that smells that begins with the letter H. The residents had a fun time playing this. I changed the name on the schedule to read Wiz Game.
Spread Sunshine: (Pass the smile) For up to eleven residents. Have resident choose a card with a number on it. Numbers range from two to twelve. Each person takes three shakes of two dice. Two numbers must match the card number they chose earlier. Example: Card number: Seven. Dice must shake a seven. If resident shakes a seven, they get to take a smiley face necklace.
How to make a smiley face necklace: Yarn. Construction paper. Cut construction paper into a circle. Draw two eyes and a smile on the circle. Cut yarn long enough to make a necklace that can fit over a person’s head. Thread yarn through two punched out holes to form a necklace.
Object of game: Collect as many smile faces as possible. The resident is to hand out the smiles to other resident’s and staff to spread sunshine throughout the building.
Anyone can play this game. If dementia or Alzheimer’s patients are playing the game, watch closely as some may try to put the dice in their mouth.
Balloon Volleyball: Blow up two balloons. (Not helium.) Sit residents across from each other in a row or circle. Bat one balloon around at a time. An activity assistant will get a work-out chasing the balloon when out of reach to the residents. They love this game. Good arm exercise and good for reflexes. Also, laughter: The best medicine!
Beach Ball: Bring a beach ball to the room. Have residents sitting around (preferably) a circular table. Great arm exercise and reflexes. The residents laugh and have fun playing this trying not to let the ball touch the ground. Teamwork! Great for dementia, Alzheimer’s, and wheelchair residents. Even the lowest form of functioning person has fun with this game.
Basketball: You will need a small basketball hoop like you see for children. Small basketball. Have residents sit in a circle. Give each resident three turns to try to make a basket. They love this game and like to see who can get the most baskets on each turn. They clap and cheer each other on! Most resident’s are able to play basketball. For residents in wheelchairs you can move the hoop up closer. No one minds as the residents are happy playing with as many people as possible.
Target Ball: Buy the large Velcro sticky board game with a target on. It will have a bull’s eye worth fifty points, all of the way to the outer edge being worth ten points. Three sticky balls come with the game. Residents sit in a circle in a chair. Activity assistant holds up target board. Each player gets three turns to throw the ball at a distance that is good for them. Keep track of scores for that round. The residents encourage each other to do well. Any resident that can throw is able to participate. Usually a big number show up for this game. Good exercise and team spirit.
Classic Card Games: Bridge, Pinochle, 500 and Euchre. Set up groups of four to play these games weekly. Start with those that know how to play. Find out if there are any “students” wanting to learn these card games. If so, put in the nursing home newsletter or on a church bulletin board that a teacher is wanted for the specific game(s).
Get church volunteers and college kids to come and play for new conversation stimulation.
Please volunteer and visit the elderly. Make it a family outing! You have no idea how much it brightens their day. The surprising thing I’ve found is they leave an imprint on your heart. Remember: You, too, will be old one day!
With computers these days, my co-workers and I joked around, what are people of our generation going to be doing? Staying in our room “talking” to our neighbor in the next room via computer chat? Instead of Frank Sinatra and old time music, will we be unable to hear and blast AC/DC, Gretchen Wilson, Toby Keith, Nickelback, and Iron Maiden?!
*Games are for all age groups. Enjoy companionship and life!
