Those Were the Days!
There is nothing quite like the feeling of remembering some long-buried event. Whether it makes you smile or wince, stumbling across a long-lost memory feels like meeting up with an old friend. All of a sudden you are transported back to a moment in time, your mind’s eye visualizing a younger version of yourself and perhaps the faces of others you were with. You see the outlines of a familiar place. Your brain flashes with the image of something you said or did or experienced. Your emotions follow suit, recreating how that memory made you feel and maybe how it left an enduring imprint on you. Memories are like that – they are visceral and woven deeply into our identity. And they are to be treasured.
For seniors, memories are all the more important. As the world continues to evolve at an ever-accelerating pace (especially with innovation and technology advancing at a breakneck speed), it is difficult for many seniors to avoid feeling disconnected or left behind. The sharing of memories and personal history can bridge that disconnect. Researchers have studied the positive impact of reminiscing, especially for seniors living in retirement homes or facilities. Specifically, reminiscing has been found to,
- be self-affirming, insofar as it reminds one of the importance of their past experiences and achievements,
- enhance one’s positive outlook and foster a more cheerful disposition,
- strengthen interpersonal bonds when personal histories are exchanged in a group setting,
- increase communication skills and cognition by stimulating certain neural pathways in the brain,
- combat loneliness and boredom,
- lower heart rate and blood pressure, and
- for patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia, decrease agitation and boost mood.
At heart, reminiscing is about sharing one’s life story and being heard. At RetroSparX we are committed to finding ways to facilitate reminiscing. Our memory game units are designed to spark memories that may have been gathering dust for some time and to unlock the emotions associated with those memories. We believe that your past is not merely history – it is the key to understanding who you are today, and how to best navigate your path to tomorrow.
Amy Lewtas, Founder of RetroSparX
New to RetroSparX
We are pleased to announce the following new RetroSparX memory game units which have recently been released and can be found on our website (www.retrosparx.com). We invite you to delve into the topics and tackle the memory games for seniors that comprise each unit. And we wish you happy reminiscing while you recall, relive and revel in these moments.
Revel in Sock Hops in the 1940s and 1950s
Kick off your shoes and remember sliding and jiving and swinging on the wooden gym floor to the latest rock ‘n roll tunes being blasted at the local sock hop. The sock hop defined an entire generation of fun-seeking teens. Maybe you were one of them!
Included memory games for seniors
- In Dance Like Nobody’s Watching, use clues to identify some of the more famous dance crazes from the 1930s to the 1960s. Then rearrange some of the letters to reveal one of the most iconic rock ‘n roll songs of the Sock Hop era.
- Match some of the most enduring songs from the 1950s with the musical artists who sang them in A Jukebox Full of Hits.
Recall the Completion of the Cabot Trail
Maybe you have driven the spectacular Cabot Trail, or maybe you have just heard of its legendary beauty. Either way, read about one of Canada’s most visited tourist destinations known for both its scenic vistas and its cultural heritage.
Included memory games for seniors
- Unscramble letters to identify some of the world’s most beautiful islands in Life’s a Beach, and the name of a ground-breaking scientist whose island research changed the shape of science forever, will be revealed.
- In Vacation Builder, select syllables from three columns to build several travel-related three-syllable words and phrases.
Revel in the Athletes Featured on the Wheaties Box
Read how the cereal Wheaties somehow became synonymous with athletic achievement, by featuring the leading athletes of the day on the cover of its boxes. It was brilliant marketing and made for a breakfast that miraculously made you feel stronger!
Included memory games for seniors
- In On the Cover, solve clues to discover many of the athletes who have graced the cover of the Wheaties box, and the name of the athlete most often featured on the cover will be revealed.
- Find the missing letters to complete the names of enduring cereals that have stocked kitchen pantries for years in A Bowl Full Of …, and the secret to serving a delicious bowl of cereal will be revealed in the process.
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