Published in New Britain Herald
By JULIE SOPCHAK
Correspondent

NEW BRITAIN — The game is called “Odd Couples,” and Barbara Lorch watches the screen intently, trying to memorize the unusual word pairings so she can answer the questions which will follow the procession. She will have to pair the words together again, trying to remember which ones went with which.

This game is one of many on the Dakim Brain Fitness System that is being used at Arbor Rose at Jerome Home Assisted Living. Erika Copes, director of marketing and business development at the facility, said the system has been in use at the facility for about a month.

“The purpose of this program is to maintain a strong cognitive fitness level,” said Copes. “We felt like a lot of our residents worry about getting dementia, they worry about keeping their brains sharp. Your brain is no different than the rest of your body — it needs to be challenged.”

The Brain Fitness machine looks just like a computer, except with no keyboard and no mouse. It is simply a touch-screen machine. Copes said the facility has a Brain Fitness program that entails more than this computer game, which involves exercise and other activities. She said this system is a new add-on to the bigger program.

Lisa Crofton, activities director at Arbor Rose, said the system has different difficulty levels that the staff sets up for each resident upon their initial setup for the program. She said the system is also Internet-based and updates itself.

“Everybody comes in on a different level, depending on their own unique start level, and we can set the programming,” said Crofton.

“It’s kind of addicting. I really enjoy it,” said Lorch. “I come down and do maybe three games a day.”

Crofton said residents are eager to challenge themselves and it’s easy to use and no malfunctions have been experienced with the machines.

Nancy Coughlin, a resident, said in one game, the player is given a picture, and the picture will change, so the player will have to guess which part has changed.

“This is the most fun thing — it’s only 20 minutes per game, but you can go on and take another 20 minutes,” said Coughlin. “I want one up in my room.”

Coughlin looked on as Lorch continued her own game with headphones on that talked her through the instructions of the game and then the game itself.

“She’s very good — she usually gets all 100s — she kind of gets me mad,” she said with a laugh.

“The games I hate the most are percentages and square roots. I’m not good at math,” said Lorch. “I do like the word games, and I’m pretty good at them.” Crofton said she noticed the program engages the residents’ thinking abilities, saying they begin to read, think and speak better.

“You can see, just like anything else, if you don’t use things, you lose things,” said Crofton. “For instance, you see kids in school, if they’re not constantly challenging themselves to spell, they begin to forget how to spell the words; it’s no different at an older age.”

The system was funded by a grant given by the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain. Jim Williamson, president of the organization, said the foundation served not only Arbor Rose with the grant, but also the Mulberry Gardens facility in Southington. The grant totaled $20,000, with half going to each facility.

“For us it was great because it would serve not just one senior population, but two,” he said. “We love the idea of fostering brain activity and fitness We know how important that is.”

Copes said Mulberry Gardens will host a Brain Fitness Day June 12. The event will feature exercise, fitness and massage therapy.

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