5 Memory Exercises for Older Adults

Our brains are a lot like our muscles; you’ll lose what you don’t use. Fortunately, that also means mental activities can help you keep your memory and cognitive ability sharp as you age. In fact, plenty of research suggests healthy adults can improve their memories with regular practice. The AARP even offers a series of online games for brain health.

From simple math problems to complex endeavors such as learning a new language, you can perform a wide variety of tasks to keep your memory sharp. Here are five of the best memory exercises for older adults—measures you can start now to improve your memory.

1. Test Yourself

Simply hearing a set of instructions or facts is rarely enough for even short-term memorization. Most students have to study after lectures, after all, and there’s a good chance you’ll need to repeatedly commit new information to memory to make it stick.

So, whenever you make a grocery list, finish a book or have a conversation, think about the information an hour or two later, and try your best to recall the details. Focusing on that new information will help your brain transfer it from your working memory to your short- and long-term memory.

2. Organize Information

The sheer amount of information you know about any familiar topic is mind-boggling, but it probably doesn’t feel difficult to remember. When you categorize information, those individual bits become parts of much easier-to-remember “chunks.”

One of the most prominent examples is the 10-digit phone number. Remembering a sequence of 10 digits may seem extremely difficult, but it’s not too hard to remember two sets of three and one set of four. You can achieve a similar effect by deliberately categorizing smaller bits of information into larger wholes that make sense to you.

3. Learn to Play an Instrument

It’s never too late to become a musician. Studies show that learning a new, demanding skill over a long period of time enhances memory in older adulthood. Learning an instrument is a popular, enjoyable example that also may promote socialization, but it’s far from the only option. The study in question focused on quilting and digital photography.

4. Math and Word Games

Sudoku, crossword puzzles and other mind games can be excellent tools for improving your memory. Numerical puzzles keep your mental math skills sharp, while crosswords and other verbal games challenge your recall memory. In fact, recent research suggests that a large vocabulary can protect against cognitive impairment.

5. PQRST

PQRST is a popular memory exercise for organizing and retaining written information, particularly from novels, legal documents and other text-heavy sources. The five letters stand for:

• Preview. Skim the document to identify the most important parts.
• Question. Create questions related to the points you need to learn.
• Reread. Take another look at the material relevant to your questions.
• Study. Make sure you understand the answers to the questions you raised.
• Test. Quiz yourself on the answers to your questions, as well as the overarching point or theme of the material.

To learn more about staying independent in retirement, download our free guide, Aging in Place: A Popular Trend for a New Generation of Seniors.