Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/447803
42 "Jigsaw puzzles are huge here. Any time you walk through you can see residents working on one," she says. "They exercise that part of the brain, the frontal lobe, which controls your ability to reason, make judgments, and figure out complex situations." They also challenge visual processing (where in the big picture does this piece fit?), memory (where did I just see that piece?) and motor function (which tends to decline with age). And for many, they hold a sense of nostalgia that can trigger memories. "Jigsaw puzzles are something this age group did with their loved ones years ago. They are still very meaningful to them," says Hull. Nguyen, who works with trauma and stroke patients, says he urges patients to do puzzles of various kinds as soon as possible after their incident. "The earlier you start, the better the outcome." For the best bang for your brain- building buck, try sampling a variety of different kinds of puzzles (word, number, and jigsaw) which tax different p a r t s o f t h e b r a i n . R a m p u p t h e difficulty level over time (if possible, trade your basic 100-piece kitty-cat for an elaborate 500-piece castle). And, invite a friend, spouse, or grandchild to do it with you. "Just being connected to another p e r s o n , f r o m b o t h a n e m o t i o n a l standpoint and a cognitive stimulation s t a n d p o i n t , h a s a h u g e b e n e f i t , " Nguyen says. Berkley Manor Care Center ........Denver | 303-320-4377 Briarwood Health Care Center * ..Denver | 303-399-0350 Garden Terrace Alzheimer's ..........Aurora | 303-750-8418 Center of Excellence Hallmark Nursing Center .............Denver | 303-794-6484 Heritage Park Care Center * .Carbondale | 970-963-1500 Life Care Center of Aurora * .........Aurora | 303-751-2000 Life Care Center ...................... Evergreen | 303-674-4500 of Evergreen Life Care Center of Littleton * ... Littleton | 303-795-7300 Life Care Center of Stonegate * .... Parker | 303-805-2085 Villa Manor Care Center * ....... Lakewood | 303-986-4511 Western Hills Health ............... Lakewood | 303-232-6881 Care Center Joint Commission accredited | LCCA.com *On-site physician services available at select facilities. 53101 Recovery is within reach. Individualized short-term rehabilitation On-site physician oversight * | Quality postoperative care