Retailers can’t keep them in stock and people have anxiously been awaiting new shipments these past few months. This is not the early-days pandemic shortage of toilet paper or hand sanitizer; jigsaw puzzles are the new sought-after item coveted by Canadians—including seniors—looking to find ways to cope during months of staying home.
Jigsaw sales have increased up to 370 per cent. So why the sudden resurgence in a pastime that was created almost three centuries ago by a British cartographer?*
Marcel Danesi, a professor of semiotics at the University of Toronto, and the author of The Puzzle Instinct: The Meaning of Puzzles in Human Life, says, “They are a form of escape. Once you are concentrated on doing a puzzle, it seems the outside world recedes temporarily. You immerse yourself into the intricacy of the puzzle and forget about everything else.” *
More than simply a fun pastime that you can do solo or with others in your bubble, jigsaw puzzles are also repudiated to provide cognitive benefits for seniors, such as:
- Building a puzzle activates eight cognitive functions in your brain, giving it a great work-out, and, combined with other healthy lifestyle choices, can possibly offer protection against dementia.*
- Because puzzling is so focused, it is naturally relaxing to the mind and body, a great way to stay calm in anxiety-ridden times. *
- Working on a jigsaw puzzle with others encourages social contact, important for overall health. Many retirement communities have puzzle clubs, where people meet to work on the same puzzle. The reward isn’t just a wonderful sense of accomplishment upon completing the puzzle, but also feelings of community (working together towards a common goal), and connection (through stimulating conversation and banter around the puzzle).
- Handling jigsaw pieces helps to improve motor skills. Physiotherapists working with seniors have noted how the small, precise movements required in puzzling are beneficial, especially when clients do not have many opportunities to use their hands in daily activities.*
Active living is a key foundation in every Chartwell retirement residence, including social, mental and physical activities that have been creatively modified for COVID-19 safety. Learn more here.
*The following sources provide references for this blog, in order of appearance:
1. AARP. “Interest in puzzles soars, along with sales.” May 18, 2020, online: https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2020/puzzles-sales-soar.html
2. Wikipedia. “Jigsaw puzzle: definition, history, variations, etc.” Last updated January 31, 2020, online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigsaw_puzzle
3. U of T News. “Order amid chaos? U of T researcher on why puzzles became a popular pandemic pastime.” May 22, 2020, online: https://www.utoronto.ca/news/order-amid-chaos-u-t-researcher-why-puzzles-became-popular-pandemic-pastime
4. AARP. “Interest in puzzles soars, along with sales.” May 18, 2020, online: https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2020/puzzles-sales-soar.html
5. Brut America. “What do puzzles do to your brain? A Neurology Expert Explains.” May 16, 2020,online:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vRxB54SRHs&feature=emb_logo
6. Brut America. “What do puzzles do to your brain? A Neurology Expert Explains.” May 16, 2020,online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vRxB54SRHs&feature=emb_logo
7. Suddenly Senior. “11 Benefits of Puzzles for the Elderly.” November 25, 2020, online: https://www.suddenlysenior.com/benefits-of-puzzles-for-the-elderly/
8. Seriouspuzzles.com. “Jigsaw Puzzle Missing Pieces Guide.” 2021, online: https://www.seriouspuzzles.com/jigsaw-puzzles/missing-a-piece/