Today jigsaw puzzles are a familiar product on the retailer's shelf. Originally invented by the London mapmaker, John Spilsbury in the mid 18th century they were developed as an aid to teach geography. Two hundred and fifty years later, jigsaw puzzles are still in the marketplace thanks to their enduring appeal to all age groups.

Today, images are printed rather than hand painted onto the board surface. The puzzles are made of cardboard as opposed to wood and are cut by precision machines rather than hand sawn with a jigsaw as in Spilsbury's day. As a gesture to their origins, some manufacturers still produce a few titles (especially for children) from wooden boards. Used as an early teaching tool, world maps would be painted on the board, be cut up using a jigsaw into the various countries and put together again by young geography students.

Color and shape are the most obvious clues to where a piece goes into the puzzle. This requires both manual dexterity as well as the ability to recognize complementary shapes and surrounding colors. For those whose cognitive powers are not as acute as they once were, it is obvious that jigsaw puzzles are a benefit to hand eye coordination as well as a mental exercise.

As a form of gentle therapy, card games come to mind for their deductive reasoning as well as the added benefit of socialization. Reading, crosswords or playing mind teasers such as Sudoku are all obvious ways to stimulate the brain. In a recent study, it has been shown the best way to avoid the onset of dementia is by exercise and diet and that mental stimulation alone is not enough.

In order to allow seniors an easier option you can now find 500 piece puzzles the same overall size as a 1000 piece puzzle. Completing a puzzle instills a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction requiring the individual to observe, think about and finally execute a set of skills unique to puzzle making. Puzzles can be either solitary pursuits or family activities. As therapy they can be made up in groups with each individual assigned as specific task such as assembling the same color or straight edges.

Learning, consolidation, storage and recall are the four components of memory. Without recall the viability of other three functions cannot easily be observed. All four occur in a specific sequence and the ability to learn depends on the linear flow of information. Many activities (including puzzle making) will stimulate each of the functions. Competitive puzzle hobbyists regularly assemble a 1000 piece puzzle in about an hour. A senior's ability to deny the loss of mental dexterity will be enhanced by practicing a similar skill set.

Promises of chemical discoveries as well as gene therapies appear reassuring and may even offer treatment today. As an attempt to address the problems of the aging brain it may be possible to mitigate the occurrence or severity of a negative episode through the repeated activities such as discussed above. Combined with diet and exercise, mental activities are the sure ways to provide stimulating challenges whose benefits could last decades.

We do not count our limbs or physical parts of our bodies as ourselves. The mind though is where we as individuals reside; the loss of which presents the greatest fear. Unassuming exercises such as jigsaw puzzles may help prolong a healthy mind and enhance the pleasure of life.