CLUE: What crossword puzzles strengthen (nine letters).
ANSWER: Cognition.
According to a 2011 report in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, people aged 75 to 85 across all education levels who played crossword puzzles delayed onset of accelerated memory decline by 2.54 years.
While such evidence is impressive, the benefits of a solo brain activity can be outdone. Studying the impact of social activity among 1,138 people with a mean age of 79, researchers at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center reported in 2011 that cognitive decline “was reduced by an average of 70 percent in persons who were frequently socially active.”
A broader 15-year study that ended in 2010 involving 2,089 elderly people in France found that those who felt satisfied with their relationships with others had a 23 percent reduced dementia risk.
A 2020 report in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry offered this good news: “Whereas declines in physical, sensory, and cognitive function are common with advancing age, social functioning remains malleable and responsive to intervention throughout life. [Scientific theories] suggest that relationship satisfaction and social well-being increase in later life and are strengths that can be capitalized upon to promote mental health and well-being.”
The report referenced a three-year study of 1,200 seniors in Sweden that found those with strong social networks were 60 percent less likely to show signs of dementia. Research involving 9,000 people in Japan, reported a 2023 issue of Neurology, found “a link between loneliness in older adults and less brain volume, especially in the areas that are affected by dementia.”
Dr. Rustin Dakota Carter, medical director and chair of psychiatry at Eisenhower Behavioral Health, encourages elderly patients to seek opportunities to interact with others.
“Don’t have a self-imposed age limit on who you can talk to,” he further suggests. “You never know when you will make a new friend.”
Studies back up Carter’s assertion that older people benefit from multigenerational relationships. When reporting the results of a study published in The Journals of Gerontology, Harvard Health noted, “Older adults who interacted with people beyond their usual social circle of family and close friends were more likely to have higher levels of physical activity, greater positive moods, and fewer negative feelings. … People who had more variety in their social interactions spent less time being sedentary.”
A 2023 report by researchers in South Korea noted that social interactions “can provide psychological support and reduce isolation, loneliness, and depression” and that “engaging in meaningful activities, such as finding a purpose, volunteering, and pursuing hobbies, increases life satisfaction among older adults.”
As for the venerable crossword puzzle presenter, The New York Times appears to have taken a cue from multiple articles in its pages on the benefits of social interaction, particularly for elderly people. The same year it bought the pop-culture smash Wordle (2022), it partnered with Hasbro to introduce a board version for two to four players. In sync with the multigenerational recommendation, note that Wordle: The Party Game is for ages “14+.”
challenge
Seek opportunities every week to connect with other people.
how to connect with people
- Engage with family and friends through games, dining out, travel, etc.
- Join a hobby-based group.
- Enroll in a class.
- Participate in events and activities at a community or senior center.
- Volunteer for a nonprofit.
- Get involved in community issues.
- Stroll through your neighborhood and speak to people you come across.
- Attend local events even if you go solo.
- Offer your expertise in teaching a skill to others.
- Call someone you have not seen or heard from in a while.
- Master the ability to connect to others online when you are unable to go out.
