Senior citizens put on their smarty pants for annual Brain Games

JACKSON, Tenn. — Local senior citizens sharpened their minds at an annual trivia competition on Friday.

“We’re here to challenge everyone else to the brain games,” said Rowena Pope, the Selmer Senior Center Director.

This is the sixth year for the Senior Brain Games at the Southwest Tennessee Development District.

Older adults compete in this trivia game in hopes of taking home the trophy.

“This is to encourage brain health in older adults, keep them active, keep them smart, keep them going,” said Keita Cole, Transportation Director for SWTDD.

11 teams came to compete, and the questions included, “Is a zebra black with white stripes or white with black stripes?” and “How do you write 2019 in roman numerals?”

Some of the older adults say they don’t have much practice coming into the Brain Games, and others practice monthly to make sure they bring home first place.

“We don’t practice regularly. There are various kinds of quiz books, and some of us know things more than other things,” said Donald Shull, a member of the defending champs, the Chester County Challengers.

“We work at this,” Pope said. “We have a Jeopardy game I spend hours on preparing every month, and it’s the highlight of our month at the senior center.”

And while everyone had their eyes set on the trophy, Shull had something else he was looking forward to.

“We’ve all made incorrect answers, and I’m looking forward to the guys on my team correcting me when I’m being dumb,” Shull said.

There are some ways you can start working on your brain health.

The Institute on Aging says regular physical activity, learning a new hobby, and staying positive can all help slow cognitive decline.

The winner of today’s game will compete against the Northwest and Memphis regional winners later this month, and the winner from that game will go on to the state games in Nashville in October.