A new study out of Brazil shows that some relatively simple activities and exercises designed around fall-prevention can have significant beneficial effects for participants.

The interactive session was split into two parts: a lecture session which highlighted the risks associated with falls, and a group memory game activity. Participants in the course were later quizzed on the lecture session, and their recall of the essential elements of the presentation was much higher than in the control group, which did not participate in the memory game session. 

While the sample group of the study was relatively small, it does line up with existing clinical work showing that mental activities like games performed in close proximity to lessons or other learning activities can dramatically improve recall. This finding becomes doubly important for people with diseases like Parkinson’s, whose recall can be impacted by their condition. We need to wait for further clinical studies to show just how impactful this correlation can be. But memory care facilities around the world are sure to be adding even short memory games to the end of informative presentations in the hope of aiding participant recall.