Block-by-block fun for the elderly at Ons Tuiste
Last week the residents of Ons Tuiste old age home spent a relaxing afternoon building puzzles and creating structures with Lego blocks.
POLOKWANE – John Dunlevey and the Rotary Club of Polokwane 100 put this event together where the elderly could complete puzzles that belong to the old age home and consist of up to 500 pieces.
“We host days like these to entertain the residents and help them socialise with each other. Building puzzles is good for the mind and these activities are good to keep them busy.”
If you build a puzzle, it improves the area of the brain responsible for memory as the builder has to remember where all of the puzzle pieces are and where they should go. Teams of two or three people work together to complete a puzzle, which encourages them to interact with one another and create bonds.
The Rotary Club gave sets of Lego blocks to the elderly who were not interested in the puzzles.
Wonderful creations such as buildings and blocks were created.
Building structures with Lego blocks also helps to exercise the builder’s small motor skills as they have to work with delicate pieces.
Dunlevey said there is definitely a need for more puzzles at the old age home.
“We would love a bigger variety of puzzles for the elderly to build. Puzzles with bigger pieces are preferred too, as some of the residents find it difficult to see the detail on the small puzzle pieces,” Dunlevey said.
