Am I wrong to encourage Grandma to play challenging board games, even if she doesn't want to?

There's nothing wrong in telling here that you are tired of dominos and would like to play something else occasionally. Just be careful you aren't making her feel that this is the price she has to pay for you to spend time with her, there is a fine line between encouragement and coercion.

I think it can be helpful and stimulating to play the more challenging games, but only if your GM can work up to it.

Remember that she had to adjust to a totally different living environment, didn't play games for a year, and probably lost some of the edge she had in playing the more complex games before.

If she's not comfortable, don't push her but do start at an easier level and try to work up to more complex ones.

Playing challenging games can be good for the brain, but only if they can be played successfully. Being challenged beyond one's limit is discouraging and not helpful.

My mother used to be an awesome cribbage player. When she first moved into the NH we could play that with her when we visited. But it gradually became evident that while she still wanted to play cards it was too frustrating for her. One sister played War with her, and Go Fish. Interacting with someone over a deck of cards was what she really wanted. My mother had dementia and I see that your Gram has mobility issues. It is possible that your Gram will relearn the games she used to like, but I definitely wouldn't bribe her or give the impression she needs to do this to please you.

My husband had the kind of dementia where cognition fluctuates widely. We had one single-person board game that I found moderately challenging. He could not have done it alone, but we did it together. But if it became apparent he was having an "off" time in his cognition I stopped the game, claiming to just not being up to it right now.

Yes, it can be very boring to do simple-minded things with people who are elderly and impaired. But I think it is part of caregiving. Not every waking moment, of course, but occasionaly. Sometimes! I colored with my mom. Not exactly stimulating to me, but I accepted it as relaxing. One sister looked through magazines with her.

"Isn't it better to get her to play games that require more thought, strategy, and concentration than easy, mindless games?" Well, only if she can do so successfully. The pleasure of spending time with you and doing something she enjoys probably outweighs the benefits of cognitive stimulation.

Thanks for the responses.
I think she can play most of these challenging games, she just needs to relearn some aspects of them. With the one game, I had to help her the whole time, but then she got the hang of it and does well on her own now.

Part of my issue is that she is capable of playing these games, she just needs a little help at first. But she's gotten to a point where she doesn't want to have to think or work her brain. Yet, she acknowledges that thinking is good for the brain. She's says she's just lazy. I'm not sure what to do with that.

We usually play a challenging game followed by easy games. We might play one or two challenging games a week. It just depends on the game and the time. It's weird because back before she went into assisted living, I'd visit once or twice a month for a whole day (about 12 hours or so) and we'd spend the whole day playing these challenging games with no problems. I can't believe how much has changed in a year. It's so strange.

mejjy11, how old is Grandma?

I think you should play only games she is comfortable with. I am 85 and have never enjoyed board games or jigsaw puzzles, two of the popular activities in the independent living facility where I live. Ask grandma what she would enjoy doing.