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Scrabble

     Studies show that puzzles and games can help strengthen the memory.  It is suggested that these activities can help off set the deterioration of dementia.  I decided that I would take this information to heart.  I began playing a game or doing a puzzle with Jim daily.  In hopes that this would also help me.
    We began playing easy games such as Sorry or Candyland.  Jim would pick a card and then ask me what to do with it.  He was not able to recall the uncomplicated rules.  I quickly tired of Sorry and Candyland, one day I pulled out the checkers.  Jim used surprising strategy and quickly won me.  Wow!  Then one day I decided to be brave and pulled out Scrabble.  I was amazed as he placed words that he had probably not used in years.  
      We have adjusted the rules to include a little bit of creativity.  If it is a word that I feel is a good word for a a 86 year old with dementia to come up with we use it.  I think Texaco and Henry are great words even if they are pronouns. Abbrevations are also accepted as part of our house rules such as; DR., IV,  and qu.   Jim has become very sneaky and has tried to throw in words such as; git. gandflim and gande.  we haven't found anyone else willing to play our house rules more than one time.  That does not stop Jim and I from continuing to stretch our brains.

Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 15, 2019 at 7:32 PM

    Good deal! I will have to remember your house rules next time he comes to visit.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Emily HayesFebruary 4, 2019 at 3:36 PM

    I didn't mind the house rules, they helped me. I remember once when I was really young and grandpa was visiting our house (probably the only visit I remember from when I was young) and we tried playing scrabble it was such a frustrating game because Grandpa would take so long on his turn and argue for the validity of all the words. I think you said something about how frustrating it was and you didn't want to play again. I'm glad that now it's such a better experience than it once was. These are the memories of scrabble we should keep, not the old one.

    ReplyDelete

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