South Florida friends play this old game for a serious reason
The ancient tile game of mahjong is making a major comeback in the United States, and for a group of local women, the surge in popularity is good news for their brains.
The game, which was developed in mid-19th century China, requires focus and strategic thinking, providing a perfect workout for the brain. A group of friends meets almost daily at Mimi Paper and Gifts in South Miami to play the game in hopes of delaying Alzheimer’s disease.
Denie Harris, who is part of the group, said she started playing a year ago and has “really ramped it up recently.”
“It’s a little bit complicated at the beginning, but once you get your groove and you start getting an understanding, you just create a rhythm and you learn it,” Harris said.
For Harris, the mental challenge is deeply personal.
“My mom had Alzheimer’s and I know that a game like mahjong really helps with memory and executive functioning, focus, and also the social aspect is very good for your brain,” she explained.
A study published in the Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease supports this practice, showing that playing mahjong could slow cognitive deterioration and alleviate depressive symptoms in older adults with dementia. Additionally, mahjong players tend to have improved cognitive function, better hand-eye coordination and experience a sense of being socially connected.
Charlotte Mather-Taylor, the director of the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County, echoed the sentiment on the importance of mental activity.
“If you’re not using your brain, then that’s not very good because you’re going to slow down,” Mather-Taylor said.
Her agency offers various programs like caregiver support and meal services, along with opportunities to exercise the mind. “Our senior centers have all different kinds of activities that involve people socializing with other individuals and using their brains so that they concentrate. They’re using their memory. Maybe in a game they’re playing, they’re using strategy,” she said, noting that three senior centers offer mahjong as a key program.
Harris plays with the memory of her mom, Suzie Brawner, who died two years ago. Speaking through tears about her friends, Harris shared, “They had a front-row seat to the good and the bad,” adding, “We’re keeping our minds sharp together.”
One of her friends called Harris a spark for the group: “She leads the way, and she is a catalyst for all of us in so many ways, physically, emotionally and intellectually. … We’re very lucky.”
For more information about the programs available at the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County, click here.
This report was produced by Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami.