Medically reviewed by Esti Naim, OTR/L — written by PLAYWORK.
Physical activity is crucial after you've been through a stroke, especially during the first few months. However, cognitive exercise is equally significant since poor memory and problem-solving skills drastically decrease after such a seizure.
Patients who have suffered strokes need to train their brains to get back in shape. Anyone, especially elders, can experience problems with thought clarity and processing basic information. That's why some brain exercise is a must.
Here, we'll present you with some of the best brain exercises for stroke recovery.
How To Train Your Brain After Stroke
One of the favorite things to recommend to those who have suffered a stroke is playing board games. Patients will have to use their memory and focus on the game, which helps them maintain the level of concentration and increase it over time. Besides the fact it's useful for stroke survivors as an exercise, it implies socializing with others, which is extremely important for mental health.
Furthermore, you can try solving puzzles. Again, it will help increase your focus level and train your brain to recognize shapes and colors. Card matching or the famous memory games also prove to be a very effective activity to recover from a stroke faster.
Sudoku, crosswords, and other "matching" games can help recover your skills and increase your memory levels.
Besides, some unusual activities, such as counting money, can also increase your focus and cognitive skills. So, if this is something that you find exciting, go for it.
If games are not your cup of tea, you can try cooking or listening to music. Invoking old receipts and lyrics from your memory can help with memory loss while learning some new skills and texts will help you get back in shape.
A Smart Playball – Innovative Way To Increase Your Brain Activity After A Stroke
Since we've already mentioned how playing various games can help you improve your cognitive skills, we'd like to present you with an innovative solution. A so-called smart playball or smart therapy ball is invented for patients who have suffered different medical conditions resulting in cognitive or motor skills loss.
Basically, you will be playing different games in a new way. Using a smart playball, you will have your results on the iPad, and you will see exactly which games are the most useful for you. Since we've mentioned the importance of physical exercise after the stroke, we want to emphasize that a smart therapy ball is a terrific recovery tool for both physical and mental therapy. You will be using a ball that can be rolled, squeezed, pressed, and more. Depending on the game you choose, you will need to perform different tasks, and everything you do will be visible on the screen.
Once you play the game, your results will show up, giving the exact data about the exercise's impact on your condition. Sometimes, some exercises will be more effective than others, so you will focus more on those logically.
Another advantage of using a smart playball is that you will not be alone and you will not be bored. While playing regular board or card games might be dull, using a smart therapy ball will be a process to enjoy. You will have your specialist monitor your progress and interact with you while learning new skills and having fun playing different games. Putting yourself in the right state of mind and enjoying the rehabilitation process will play a significant role in your recovery; we can assure you of that.
How To Use A Smart Playball?
Once you decide to join a smart playball rehabilitation process, an occupational therapist will assist you. You will be using this CE-approved medical tool to increase both your cognitive and motor skills and reduce the symptoms that have been resulting from surviving a stroke.
You will get an iPad with a package of therapeutic games, and together with your therapist, you can choose the ones you like, which are the most suitable for your condition. The rest is just gameplay, enjoyment, and recovery. You can have your family members there, supporting you, and get all the information about the recovery process.
You will have a chance to strengthen your bones, joints, and muscles, reduce stiffness, and improve your motor skills as well as your memory skills and basic brain functions. The goal is to come as close as possible to the "before the stroke" condition and increase the quality of the patient's life.