By Mike Cooper

Do you remember playing cowboys and Indians with your friends when you were little?  Or maybe you played doctor and your dog was the patient. You were able to think about things differently because it didn’t have to be real. Teddy bear as a nurse? Sure why not! An upside down garbage can as the mountain you climbed to scout the Indians? Sounds just fine!

Why did we stop playing make believe? Other things got in our way – girls (or boys, as the case may be), cars, other friends who didn’t ‘believe’ like we did.

There are many benefits from playing make believe, regardless of your age. Here are 3 benefits for older adults:

1. Improved Mood: When you played make-believe as a child, weren’t you happy and carefree? As an adult, you will have those same feelings. It’s fun to not have structure sometimes and just be free to act how you want (well, within reason…). A little make-believe and your older loved one will feel better and maybe, for a little while, forget about other things that might be aching.
2. Socialization: Although you could play make-believe by yourself, it is more fun in a group. At Naperville Senior Center, our Members celebrated Talk Like a Pirate day last fall by dressing up and acting like pirates. We all had a great time! Think of the great memories your children would have of their grandparents if you go them to play make believe with their grandparents! It is something they will look back on fondly.
3. Improved Memory: With the role-playing that comes with make believe, an older adult has to remember his/her character, that of the other players and interact with them. Whether a cowboy, pirate, or astronaut, an older adult will draw from history to act the part. They may try to sound like John Wayne, throw in an ‘Ahoy, matie’ or remember, ‘one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.’ Keeping an older adult thinking and engaged mentally is so beneficial to their ongoing mental health.

Whether your loved one is a NSC Member, visiting with their grandchildren or just looking for something fun and different to do, encourage them to play make believe. The benefits are great and the memories will be lasting.

Make believe your loved one is a NSC Member… there are a Physical Therapist, an Occupational Therapy Assistant and a Registered Nurse in the living room… there’s a hot delicious meal at noon… there are opportunities to socialize, verbalize, improvise, evangelize, visualize, exercise, have fun, and plenty of activities to provide mental and physical stimulation. Aarrr! Ye should be signin’ up fer the free grub!

Call to action: contact us to schedule a FREE 3-hour trial at our facility so you can see what we have to offer and understand the Naperville Senior Center experience, “Home Away From Home.”