There is no doubt that board games are making a comeback across the board (haha), and there are a lot of reasons why. Most especially, board games seem to be making a comeback with senior citizens who are looking for different ways to connect with their family and friends.
With the holiday season fully upon us, you may be wondering what kinds of gifts the senior in your life would love to add to his or her bookshelf. Though you of course have an endless list of options to pick from, you may want to consider getting one of their favorite board games or spoil them with a brand new board game that they’ve never played to increase the excitement level in the house come Christmas morning.
Whether you are looking for an adventure game, a turn-based game, a fun type of trivia board games, or something else entirely, consider these important reasons why board games are making a comeback!
Let’s get started.
Genuine health benefits
One of the most important reasons why board games are so popular for the elderly is because they actually offer some really important health benefits. Not only do board games challenge people to work with their critical thinking, but they also encourage ample human interaction and are one of the few things that can actually keep us away from our screens (phones, TVs, computers and tablets) for an extended period of time. When you are playing a board game, you have to be fully invested or else it simply won’t be all that fun. So, not only will the seniors in your life be able to get off their phones, but they will also be able to be surrounded by a bunch of people who are off their phones as well. Just like the good old days.
Encourages goal setting and patience
Board games offer players the chance to set goals – either on their own or as a team if the game requires that – and deal with patience and strategy. These are really important mental muscles to flex for seniors as they tend to slow down during retirement. Beyond that, understanding and following the rules, following timing rules, and taking account of each players’ skill level is another way to help the seniors in your life challenge themselves in a fun and non-stressful way.
Increase happiness
Especially right now, it is important that we all do what we can in order to get the happiness that we can. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it really hard to enjoy some of the simple things in life. If you are quarantining with your elderly family member, you might find that their mood has dropped because of the extra risk and anxiety that COVID-19 has wrought. Spending a simple evening playing a board game can help inject some much-needed happiness into everyone’s life.
You can play them over Zoom
Speaking of COVID-19, it is crucial to mention that board games can be played over Zoom if you have the patience and desire to do so. If one of you is willing to do the moving and choosing for the other party, you can play a board game over Zoom and keep in touch and do activities together even though you may be on different sides of the country. These days, it is all about finding ways to remain in touch with the ones we love in a meaningful and real way. Playing a fun board game once every week with the senior citizen in your life is a great way to do just that!
Decrease from stress
Just like board games cause an increase in happiness and fun, so too do they create a marked reduction in stress. Board games are a rarity in life in the sense that they can be both competitive and non-stressful. A board game can help distract all of us from stressful, invading thoughts and also help us recalibrate our day so we stop focusing on the frustrating things we deal with and make us all feel more playful and fun. On top of that, because board games keep us off of our phones for a number of houses, they do a great job of helping our body and mind wind down for eventual sleep even if we are many hours away from actually laying our heads down to rest.
Family time
This is a big one. For senior citizens, one of the most important things in life is simply to spend time with their children, grandchildren, and everyone else they love. Board games offer a unique and special opportunity for family time without having to risk the eventual uncomfortable topic or other. The little time we get with everyone in the house is precious -especially these days. If you are looking for a great activity one evening as Christmas nears and your family starts to gather, consider lighting a hearty fire in your fireplace and laying out a wonderful board game that everyone can take part in!
Simple need for human interaction
Even if the senior in your life is not living with or near you, chances are good they are always looking for new and fun ways to spend time with their own friends. Consider getting them a board game for them to take home so that they can spend some quality time with the life-long friends in their lives.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, it seems to be getting harder and harder these days to find fun and meaningful ways to spend time with the people we love most. That is especially true when it comes to the generational gap between grandparents and grandchildren who have grown up and matured in such different worlds. One final wonderful thing about board games is that they are simple and super fun. That serves as a really important way to bridge the large gap between generations so that your children and parents can have the fun together that they both need and deserve. That in itself may be the most important gift that you can offer them this holiday season.
