What if one of the most powerful tools for supporting someone with dementia wasn’t a medication or a therapy session, but a deck of cards?
It sounds almost too simple. Yet a growing body of research suggests that play — real, purposeful, engaging play — does something for the memory-impaired brain that few other interventions can match. It sparks connection. It rebuilds confidence. And it gives people living with dementia something that’s often in short supply: a sense of purpose.
More Than Just Passing Time
It’s tempting to think of games in memory care as just a way to fill an afternoon. But purposeful play is doing far more under the surface. Board games, puzzles, and card games call on memory, communication, and reasoning all at once, gently exercising cognitive pathways that might otherwise go quiet. Even simple activities like sorting objects or matching pairs ask the brain to focus, plan, and problem-solve in the moment.
Researchers studying interactive game technology in long-term care communities have found that structured play sessions can meaningfully increase engagement and reduce distressing behaviors in people with moderate to severe dementia. In one such study, older adults who took part in short, guided game sessions several times a week showed more active participation and fewer signs of apathy over time.
Familiar Faces, Familiar Games
The best games for someone living with dementia usually aren’t new ones. Dominoes, bingo, familiar card games — all of these tap into procedural memory, the kind that often stays intact long after other memories fade. There’s something quietly moving about watching someone’s hands “remember” how to play a game their mind can no longer explain.
Choosing the right game matters, too. The goal isn’t to challenge someone into frustration, but to meet them exactly where they are — enjoyable, achievable, and just stimulating enough to hold their attention.
Play as Connection
Perhaps the most underrated benefit of purposeful play is social. A shared game creates a reason to sit together, make eye contact, laugh at a lucky draw or a well-matched pair. For families visiting a loved one with dementia, a game can offer something conversation alone sometimes cannot: an easy, pressure-free way to simply be together.
In memory care, play isn’t a break from the important work — it often is the important work.