Quick Long Term Memory Retrieval

One of the many exercises we do in class involves retrieving memories.  Several years ago, I bought my 96 year-old mother a digital picture frame.  I loaded it with approximately 1200 pictures that I had collected and scanned over the years - pictures ranging from her childhood to the present: children, grandchildren, husband, vacations, ancestors, etc.

She was very excited to see and comment on each and every picture on the slideshow.  I set the frame on "random" with a 10 second delay for each picture.  She excitedly tapped her finger on the picture that came up and started to recall the event that prompted the photograph.  After 10 seconds and without warning, the next photo would take its place.  Because the frame was set on random, she could possibly go from 1938 to 2010 - quickly with no preparation for what came next.

I watched her brain shift quickly as she became engrossed in each picture and then observed her "switch gears" to mentally adjust to the new picture.  It was then that I became excited myself at what I could see as a new activity for my class.

I explained the new activity to my class.  After making a random list, I told them I would give them, individually, one of the words as a memory cue.  It could possibly be:  convertible, bonfire, cave, circus, or anything I could dream up!  I usually have 30 words prepared or enough to go around the class 3 times.  Next, using my stopwatch set at 10 seconds, I asked tem to give me an actual memory consisting of a place, other people in the memory, and then place it in time.  No reminiscing allowed (that's the hard part)!  After 10 seconds, I said "stop" and then moved onto the next person.

At first, it was a little difficult for them to come up with the answer so quickly.  Sometimes they had to pass and wait for their turn to come around again. By not allowing them to reminisce, they had to quickly retrieve the memory.  The tendency was to tell me about the cue word, e.g, "I really like the circus" or to start telling a longer story.  However, once everyone was on board for the 10 second rule, it became fun to bring up memories and share them quickly.

The goal of this activity is to exercise quick memory retrieval, something many seniors struggle with.  In terms of Brain Fitness, this activity is a keeper!

© Carres Brain Fitness 2012