I’ve seen ads for Mahjong for Seniors.
It’s a free App.
Does it really help keep the mind active and alert?
Which version (brand) are you using?
I cannot help you.
I was hoping the app involved actual Mah Jonng. It is a game played with those tiles by four players. As a stereo typical elderly Jewish woman living in a condo in Florida, my mom is crazy about it. Having a very full social life, she is involved in multiple games of mah jongg, canasta and others each day. I thought she might be interested in an app version.
Instead, it is just a standard tile matching game. It has roughly the same relationship to mah jonng that war has to Texas hold 'em. Bah.
Here’s one weird trick…
I’m sure there are Majhong games online against live players. I’m just starting to learn.
I like Word Search puzzles.
Real Jigsaw puzzles are fun. Not the online versions.
AARP has free Mahjong games.
There’s also Mahjong played by four people sitting across from each other and using tiles. It’s a really new variation of the app.
But that means cajoling three other people to play.
I enjoy cards games but it’s the same problem. Finding people and getting them together in one room.
I used to play Canasta. But that was over 30 years ago.
I’ve not played that particular version, but I do occasionally play a similar mahjong game. As has been said, it’s a simple tile-matching game. I’m not a neurologist, but I doubt it does anything to help your brain stay active. It’s okay for killing time if you’re waiting for an appointment or something, but it’s not mentally-challenging at all.
Am I misunderstanding you? Mahjong, a 4-player game resembling Rummy and using tiles, dates from the 1800s.
Sorry, I was being sarcastic. The OP seemed to think it only existed as an app.
BTW, any evidence that playing games like this can “keep the mind active and alert”?
Use it or lose it applies.
Research is still relatively new and there are no conclusive answers.
But, it can’t hurt to challenge yourself and play games, read, explore new hobbies. Take music lessons or art classes. Compared to just living life in a repetitive cycle of boredom.
Does she play Chinese or Japanese style? I only play riichi myself, and there are a few apps with online play. Oddly enough one of the best ones for riichi mahjong is inside Final Fantasy XIV, which people sometimes joke is an online mahjong game with a massively overcomplicated avatar customization system.
The problem with that is that you then have to talk with real live people.
I suggest that bridge is a very good way to keep alert in old age.
It’s way more popular than Mahjong. Therefore you can find friend to play with in a home game, join a local club or play online (even with robots…)
Isn’t it a bit more strategic than just tile-matching (like the “memory” game)? I’ve only played a handful of times, but if I remember correctly (maybe I don’t… I’m old and haven’t played enough mahjong, apparently…) there was an element of strategy too and the player has some agency?
People bet on it all the time, which I don’t think they’d do if it were purely luck-based.
There is some research showing a possible link between mahjong and cognitive improvements / maintenance. They’re not the strongest studies, but they do correspond to other similar research about video games, etc. Generally, keeping the brain active however you can into old age should help.
And here’s a AI podcast summary of the above articles, if you’d rather listen (via Google’s NotebookLM)
Mahjong is like rummy. More like basic rummy since you can’t go gin. Depending on the variation there may be more restrictions on what it takes for a qualifying winning hand or other ways to get points. As I said, I play riichi mahjong, which uses fewer tiles than the Chinese game and is somewhat different in what is allowed to win, plus stricter rules on discards and the existence of bonus tiles.
The OP talked about playing the game to keep one’s mind active and alert. If so, it seems to me that spending time with others (even talking to them) would be better for that than time spent alone.
My circle of friends has gotten smaller as the years go by.
Most of my friends are busy with their own lives and responsibilities.
There are other activities besides gaming. I’m considering volunteering for a Habitat for Humanity project.
I have Mahjong App installed and started playing. It’s relaxing.
Yeah, trick-taking games – which require one to keep track of cards – is a good suggestion. Word games – crosswords, Scrabble, Boggle, etc. – also help. You don’t even need any live players, just pick up something from Steam and play against your computer.
Tile-matching solitaire games using mahjong tiles have been around for decades. There should be some available on pogo.com, and presumably on Facebook as well. I don’t think I have ever installed one as a phone app