Looking for a way to connect with someone who has dementia? Memory games may not only help support cognitive function, but they can also provide you with new ways to spend time together, help maintain your relationship, and keep their quality of life high.

If you’re not sure which memory games are helpful, read on to discover more about these games and dementia.

Can Memory Games Help Dementia?

Researchers aren’t sure whether memory games can help with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease and, if they do, what types of brain training games are the most useful. However, they have found a few things to be true. While brain games won’t “cure” or reverse dementia, the true therapeutic value lies in the emotional boost and social connection they provide.

Certain types of brain training may help people with dementia temporarily improve skills that are specific to the training they’re doing. These improvements are generally small and require consistent work to attain. More brain training may lead to more improvement, and some people report that their daily lives get better when they train.

Combining brain training with physical activity or exercise may help even more. Cognitive training done on computers may also increase the amount of gray matter in the brain, which could, in theory, help with cognitive function. In one study of people with mild to moderate dementia, brain training, when taken seriously, helped improve factors like problem solving, short-term memory, and more.

This research is enough to suggest that certain types of memory games might help people with dementia function better, at least for a while. However, more research is needed to get the details about the best games for memory loss, how long and how often to play them, and how long the benefits from them might last.

Since these games are a fun way to connect with the person you’re caring for and give them a sense of accomplishment, they’re worth exploring even if they don’t help improve symptoms of dementia. Consulting a neurologist or geriatrician can help you tailor activities to your loved one’s current stage and specific needs for maximum benefits and enjoyment.

What Are Fun Memory Games for Dementia?

Wondering which game is good for dementia? The answer depends on your loved one’s preferences and goals. If they like technology, a phone or a tablet could be a helpful product to give as a gift. They can play versions of many of these games on those devices. If they aren’t tech-focused, a board game, card game, or puzzle might be preferred.

Matching Games

Matching games can be great fun and help with memory, too. There are online versions, or you can buy board games. Different versions may have different rules, so read them and help your loved one understand them before you start to play. Most of the time, you’ll click on or turn over one card in a grid, then try to remember where the matching card is located.

You can make a version of this game using copies of photographs that are important to your loved one. This may help them engage with the game even more. If they're struggling to find matches, try limiting the number of cards in the grid so they have fewer choices. When playing with photos, focus on positive, distant memories (like childhood or early marriage), as these memories are often the most stable and easily accessed in dementia.

Photo Album Games

If your loved one likes to look at or arrange old photographs, you can use this as a great way to help them remember their past and hear stories that are important to them. You can play these types of games with physical or digital photos, depending on your loved one’s preferences. Photo album games are great because they’re informal, so you can work on memory while having a conversation.

Find some old photos of people or events that were important to your loved one. Show them a photo and talk about it. Ask them who was in the photo and what was happening, and let them tell the stories they remember. If your loved one has trouble with this, use photos of people and events you know about, so you can help and prompt them as you go.

Music Memory Games

Does your loved one enjoy music? Musical memory is often protected from disease; playing familiar tunes can activate emotional and motor centers in the brain, leading to powerful, spontaneous moments of joy, singing, or even tapping a foot. Find their favorite songs online. You can play part of the song and see if they can recognize it, or start it and both sing along to the lyrics you remember.

If you don’t know what type of music to start with, see if your loved one can tell you about a concert they attended or who they used to enjoy listening to when they were young. Even if they can’t remember much, the music may help them feel more relaxed and happy.

Word Games and Category Games

If your loved one likes words and language, consider playing simple word and category games to help keep their language facility as high as possible. This can be as simple as asking them to name as many objects that are red or start with a certain letter as they can. If they're up for it, choose a category and try to think of something in that category that starts with each letter of the alphabet (like animals or foods).

You could also try word searches and other word puzzles. One myALZteam member suggested, “Pick any fairly long word and see how many other words can be made from using the letters in that word.”

Sequencing Games

Having people talk about the steps they take to do things or asking them to put pictures in the right order based on what’s happening in them can help with problem-solving skills. If your family member has a task they do regularly, ask them what steps they take to get it done, like describing the steps for making a cup of coffee or folding a towel, which activates the highly preserved “how-to” memory. You can find apps with photos to put in order or print out options you find online, too. Make this simple with only two or three photos, or add complexity by adding more steps.

Simple Puzzles or Logic Games

You’ll find a wide variety of puzzles and logic games, both online and on paper. Activities like jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, and sudoku come in a wide variety of difficulty levels. Make them interactive by taking turns handling different clues or working out each clue or row together.

Jigsaw puzzles range from simple to complex. Spread one out on a table and work on it together while you chat.

Video Games

Video games, especially three-dimensional ones, may help with thinking ability. If you have a gaming console and the right TV, monitor, or headset, you can play these together. They range from simple to complex. Avoid complex, fast-paced games, as they can cause visual overstimulation and anxiety in many people with dementia. One benefit of video games is that you can play alongside and connect with your loved one even if you don’t live close to them.

Tips for Memory Games and Dementia

When you’re playing memory games for adults with dementia, remember that how they perform isn’t the goal. This is especially true if they’re in the mid to late stages of cognitive decline. Instead, focus on having a good time, connecting with them, and improving their general well-being.

Make sure every game you play works for the person you’re playing with. They should be interested in the game, engaged with it, and comfortable both with the game and the topics being discussed. For instance, asking someone to identify an abusive person in a picture could do more harm than good. Remember that what works one day may not work the next, so having a few game ideas in mind could help you find something new when the situation calls for it.

Take regular breaks when playing these games, especially if your loved one seems like they’re frustrated or struggling. In fact, stop and do something more restful if it seems like the game is causing more agitation than pleasure. You can always try to come back to it later. Making the games part of a simple, everyday routine may help your loved one be more open to playing them.

Finally, play along with your loved one, too. Take turns doing whatever the game asks of you or work on a puzzle together. That way, it’s truly play and not something else disguised as play. This will help foster connection because you’ll be working together. If they don’t want to play, leave the puzzle out so they can choose to enjoy it later, like the myALZteam member who keeps word puzzles available: “My hubby loved doing them but lost interest within the last few years. I still do them while sitting with him, and I leave them out for him.”

Join the Conversation

On myALZteam, people share their experiences with Alzheimer’s, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What memory games have you played with a loved one dealing with dementia? Let others know in the comments below.