According to data from YouGov Today, 21% of Americans are leisurely chess players. This includes those who participate in local chess clubs, online, or who simply enjoy playing a fun game of chess from the comfort of their own home.
Seniors in Oklahoma City find countless benefits in playing community chess, from the comradery of socializing with new friends to experiencing a fun game that requires strategic thinking and analytical skills.
This article explains the benefits of local chess clubs and why they’re so important for seniors.
Chess Clubs Help With Problem-Solving
Since aging affects a person’s ability to focus, it can make it harder for older adults to problem-solve. Fortunately, there are games like chess that can help improve a person’s problem-solving skills.
Since chess involves a significant amount of analyzing, it offers seniors an opportunity to put these skills to use on the chessboard – and after they’re done playing.
The Chess Community Helps With Memory
Seniors who participate in a chess community may find that their memory improves and sharpens as players have to remember different strategies. This is wonderful for older adults in memory care senior living options.
Older adults who need assistance with memory can play chess together, building friendships while improving their memory as they anticipate future chess moves and plan new ones.
Assists With Making Decisions
As older adults age, it becomes increasingly more difficult for them to make decisions. But chess – and being part of the chess community – can assist with these decision-making skills.
In fact, chess works to help seniors become more comfortable and confident with making decisions, as each move they make is calculated, and has to anticipate their opponent’s future move. This means seniors can improve skills that decline naturally with age while having fun.
Strategic Thinking Improves
When chess players engage in a game, they have to consider their opponent’s moves and their own. This means that every move has a degree of foresight added to it, and an understanding of what their opponent may or may not do.
Seniors need to weigh options before moving their chess pieces across the board, anticipating how each move will affect the next, and incorporating plenty of strategic thinking activities.
Overall Cognitive Function Improves
Local chess clubs require all participants – older adults included – to flex their cognitive function muscles. Cognitive function relates to the way a person thinks, reacts to certain situations, recalls information, and more, and chess can greatly improve all these areas.
When adding chess clubs to any senior’s activity calendar, they’ll most likely see an improvement in overall cognitive function.
Seniors Can Play As Often As They Like
Of all the senior activities, chess is one of the games that seniors can play as much or as little as they like, especially when playing in online chess clubs. Even better, older adults can up the ante and play in local chess tournaments, truly applying their skills.
Most chess clubs have a variety of days and times they meet. This means that seniors can go as often or as little as they like, enjoying the game with friends while improving their skills. They can even play at home when visiting with family!
Chess Clubs Create Friendships
Since chess involves two players, it’s a great way for seniors to get out and make new friends. Even better, they’re engaging with people of all ages and ability levels, bonding over a love of the game of chess.
As friendships are formed, older adults can attend tournaments together, engaging in friendly competition to put their chess-playing skills to the test. They can even engage in more competitive tournaments, cheering each other on as they play.
Chess Is a Stress Reducer
Although playing chess competitively in a chess club, especially when attending tournaments, might feel a little stressful at times, a leisurely game may reduce stress for seniors.
Seniors looking to play chess recreationally can sit back and enjoy a fun game with friends. Since chess requires focus and attention, older adults are able to think about the game, letting some of their stressors and anxiety melt away.
According to the Mayo Clinic, friendships can reduce stress and improve a person’s overall health. A local chess club is perfect for older adults who want to relax and quiet their minds while playing. Since clubs meet often, seniors can play whenever they feel anxious and need to relax.
Chess Can Help Loneliness in Seniors
According to BMC Public Health, half of adults over the age of 60 risk being socially isolated. As they age, one-third of individuals face possible loneliness.
Thankfully, chess can connect seniors with other older adults looking to get out and improve their mental health and mood. Since it can be challenging to make friends older in life, especially those with shared interests, local chess clubs work to make these friendships readily available for seniors.
Local Chess Clubs Are Fun
Chess is an incredibly fun game and offers older adults an opportunity to get out and have fun playing competitively or recreationally. It doesn’t matter if it’s rainy out, chess clubs always have something for seniors to do. On sunny days older adults can sit outside and enjoy a chess match.
All year long, chess provides a fun pastime to enjoy. When playing chess, seniors can:
- Talk about their day
- Plan upcoming chess meets
- Share stories about the game
Yes, chess requires concentration, but seniors playing recreationally can also use it to have fun chatting with others.
Chess: An Enjoyable Game for Seniors
Seniors who join local chess clubs can enjoy all the benefits, from plenty of socialization opportunities to increased cognitive function. This wonderful game is also extremely fun and can improve a person’s memory while forming new senior friendships.
Dorset Place Assisted Living & Memory Care offers everything you or your loved one could ever need. Certain apartments allow a pet, have kitchenettes, and all residents benefit from a variety of community outings and events. Contact us today and a member of our dedicated staff will happily speak with you.
