The Birches Stays Mentally Fit with “Brain Aerobics” Like Scrabble and Dakim

We’ve all heard the saying, “Use it or lose it.” Well, this advice is especially relevant to maintaining our memory and mental acuity as we age.

According to the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, “brain aerobics” are a crucial component of Alzheimer’s prevention. “Brain aerobics” consist of any activity that challenges your brain and requires you to think in a new and different way. This can include reading, writing, crossword puzzles, and everyone’s favorite pastime— board games!

But does playing a round of Monopoly really have any impact on your cognitive health? It’s possible. However, certain board games are more effective than others. Recent research conducted by the University of Calgary suggests that Scrabble, for example, improves the skill of visual word recognition among adults who play regularly.

In addition, word games like Scrabble require the use of various mental processes including rational thinking, spelling, and organizational placement. Furthermore, games like Scrabble have the added benefit of encouraging socialization— another important factor in Alzheimer’s prevention. 

At The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, residents participate in weekly Scrabble Nights both because it’s fun and because it keeps their minds active and healthy. “I believe it was a resident named Dolores Rudnick who asked if there were other residents that play Scrabble when she moved in last April,” said The Birches’ Activities Director Katie Klitchman. “Shortly after, Scrabble Club was born!” 

The club meets every Tuesday and is run by The Birches’ Office Manager Cheri Gorgol. Participation levels vary, but there are more than a few “die-hard” Scrabble fans who attend every week. Gorgol says both she and the residents have benefitted from the mental stimulation and the laughter that ensues every Tuesday night around the Scrabble board.

“I enjoy how it challenges my brain and, at the same time, we have so much fun,” said Gorgol.  “When we all get together and play, we end up laughing so hard, our cheeks hurt. It’s all about not taking ourselves seriously.”

One Birches resident and Scrabble Night regular Regina Frunk says she thinks playing Scrabble makes you smarter. “I think it expands your mind,” said Frunk.  “It helps you think faster.” 

In addition to Scrabble Night, The Birches offers its residents another form of “brain aerobics.” Dakim Brain Fitness is a computer software program chock-full of brain exercises that stimulate different parts of the brain. The Birches provides its residents with two Dakim stations in the assisted-living community.

According to the creators of Dakim, the program offers over 100 different exercise formats, utilizing six different cognitive domains. To keep things interesting, Dakim incorporates various audio and visual elements as well, like engaging graphics, music, trivia, stories, and movie clips.

Recent research suggests that Dakim is a highly effective method of improving cognitive skills. A clinical trial administered by the UCLA School of Medicine determined that study participants who completed a minimum of 40 Dakim sessions over the course of a two or six-month evaluation period demonstrated substantial improvement in immediate memory, delayed memory, and language abilities. 

"This study validates the anecdotal reports that we have received in the seven years since we released the first generation of our Dakim Brain Fitness platform," Dakim CEO Dan Michel said in a press release announcing the outcome of the study. "The results are directly connected to the design of the program, from the creative multimedia exercises to the cross-training and personalization features. No other brain fitness program has these capabilities, and they make all the difference in both effectiveness and in encouraging consistent use by providing an enjoyable experience."

Although its target market has expanded, Dakim Brain Fitness was originally created with the intention of helping older adults prevent and reverse age-related cognitive impairment. As a result, the program has found its way into assisted living communities across the country. 

At The Birches Assisted Living, programs like Dakim and Scrabble Night are more than just fun activities designed to keep residents occupied; they are part of an overarching philosophical approach to aging known as Masterpiece Living. Based on the results of a decade-long MacArthur Foundation study, the Masterpiece Living philosophy suggests that aging does not need to bring about extreme physical and mental decline; older adults can continue to grow physically, mentally, and spiritually until the end of their lives.

The Masterpiece Living philosophy has identified several factors that contribute to successful aging, one of which is the type of intellectual challenge obtained through activities like Scrabble and Dakim.

“Most of the Masterpiece Living components for successful aging are included at Scrabble Night: social, intellectual, and spiritual—doing something that gives your life meaning, and even physical—when they laugh so hard! It’s just a good time, having fun with friends while you keep your brain working!” said The Birches’ Activities Director Katie Klitchman.

By engaging in “brain aerobics” like Scrabble and Dakim, residents at The Birches are investing in their long-term intellectual health. In fact, the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation reports that mental exercise can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 70%— a very good reason to dust off those Scrabble boards!