My 84 yr old grandma gets bored but does NOT entertain herself well. I just need ideas of things to keep her busy for 1/2 hr to an hour at a time so that I can get things done around the house. She can't see well enough or comprehend enough to read anymore, doesn't like tv, won't do easy crosswords, doesn't have the patience for puzzles. I'd like to come up with some easy crafty type ideas that are fairly easy to do that she can work on and then use to give to people as thank you gifts. Any ideas? Please.......
Now we just go out and garden. Mainly she instructs me on what she wants done. I have actually learned quite a lot from her about this and have started my very own at home.
The problem isn't they don't want to, they just don't feel like it. Their bodies are tired and their minds are heavy. My mom is 90 and use to be very pleasant to be around but this has all changed within a couple of months now.
She was always a great cook and loved to experiment so I would always call her and she'd help me with ideas on what and how to make different things. Lately she doesn't even like doing that with me anymore so I've stopped.
When we come in from gardening she says "now I'm tired, don't talk to me, just let me rest". That's usually the time when I tell her that I'm going home and if the "help" can break herself away from the T.V. in the Living room, she can come back in my moms room. Actually I don't even think my mom wants to be bothered with her anymore.
when pa was in rehab the ladies gave him a small box , it as filled with comb brush hair rollers , mirror . all kinds of lit stuff in there and he just browes on thru it , stared at it for while , i thought yeah i be starin at it too lookin for head lice ! why in the world they give that stuff to my pa , i have no clue .
keep his mind going i suppose ?
nothing interest my dad . tv and sleep and food . he loves to go bye bye , i cant get him in the van anymore. hes dead weigh and forgot how to get inside the van . my daughter and i done that the last time to get him inside the van , oh gosh next day we both felt like we been ran over by a semi truck . it was awful .
this comin monday he has dr s appt and am wondering how am i gonna get him in the van ? there is transportation but fact is i dont want to wait around for them to come back to pick us up .
when we leave the dr s office pa likes to go to wendys and get bowl of chilli , his fav and he likes go for a long drive amd listen to his fav cd s .
i guess i ll just have to figure something out . any ideas ?
For activities - how about scrapbooking. My dad for a time loved to use those punch-card devices to punch out hearts, circles, cubes from colored paper. How about making a necklace - just find huge beads. How about prepping food, like breaking off the ends of snap peas. How about a cat to hold in her lap? Any books (large-print) from the library interest her? How about those casino-electronic games, slot machine, solataire. Chores? Sweeping, drying plastic dishes, sorting laundry. How about potting a plant - could be done indoors on the table. Silly putty and molding clay to make stuff, great if kids are around to join in.
Anyone out there with ideas of "guy-stuff" to do?
Before my mom's vision got bad (macular degeneration) she enjoyed working with mesh. They sell larger hole plastic mesh, that can be worked on with plastic needles and thick yarn. You can make baskets using rectangles and squares. My mom made small Easter baskets and we filled them up with candy. You might also check some of the children's craft toy kits. They would be simple and easy for an elderly person who has a visual and dexterity problem to use. Good luck. Wishing you patients.
hair, she used to enjoy needlepoint "back in the day". I've asked her about trying it again but she's afraid of the sharp needle and says her sight and eye/hand coordination isn't good enough. But what you're talking about (if I'm understanding correctly) would be similar but easier for her to do. And no sharp metal needle to worry about.
So many of you have had great ideas and I really appreciate it. I'm compiling lists of things to try and lists of things to pick up at the craft/hobby stores so that we can try in the future. Thanks a million. As we try them, I'll try to find the time to post results on what works and what doesn't. Maybe it will be of assistance to others who have the same dilemma.
Somedays I just don't feel like showering or getting dressed and spend the entire day with my laptop just surfing the web comfortably dressed in my flanel nightgown and a quilt to keep me warm. I don't have dementia or depression but I have earned the right to do as I please in my golden years. i do what i want when I want and in my own time. I take my medication as prescribed as long as i know the reason and if I don't agree with a certain test or proceedure the Dr knows about it up front.
Going out to eat is no longer a treat because I have lost a lot of weight so the nerves to my legs get pinched and I roll out after a couple of hours looking like a drunk on half a glass of wine if i even finish that. On top of that I have swallowing difficulties so choosing an entree is never easy and forget fatty fast food.
Life changes as we age and it is very important for our younger relatives to realize us olders are not going to do a lot of things just because they are good for us.
agfoley don't get me wrong you are a wonderful caregiver and have found a plan that works for your loved one
Get some assorted dried beans (several kinds or the 15 beans in one pack) and elmers glue and have him/her make a design with the beans. You can even given them a pattern to fill in with beans of their choosing. For a backing I like to use wood shingles that I get at the hardware supper store. They usually sell me open bundles. These can be used as gifts or not.
sort colored pencils.
My mom asked for a box of crayons (crayola of course) and a kids coloring book and enjoys coloring the pictures as long as she doesn;t have to come up with the design.
Sorting coupons? Cutting out coupons with kiddie scissors? Grouping by type. You cold even make a "Shopping list and find coupons for it"
Polishing shoes. Polishing Nails. Polishing silver or similar.
Get one of those "paint with water" books that has the paint already on the paper and all they have to do is dip the brush in water and Paint away to see the design. Easy to do and very little clean up.
Color paint chips from the hardware store...cut into sections and arrange into designs or pictures. Mosaics.
Get some artificial flowers and vases to "arrange"
Unfortunately I am a stubbon old woman who has to learn the hard way as in "Mum you should not be using the circular saw" i will and I do but not on the days I feel dizzy. i still drive and hopefully safely and cautiously but know better than to try heavy traffic in big cities.
Anyway enough of me. I do understand your native culture does include the care and value of your elders in the same way as many non westernized cultures have the same compassion and responsibility and applaude that.
I really was not wanting to trash you plan but just point out that many elders are so tired at this point they frequently just want to be left alone and not stimulated even if it is "good for them" Blessings to you. i do have good friends who are american Indians but don't know nearly enough about your culture.
rolling paper for paper toll, they get a kick from, different coloured paper rolled together, then unroll and get to re roll, coloured macaroni make into great neclaces and bracelets, you can get plastic sewing needles with big eyes for wool and use rug matting to sew, this can be reused over and over again, the op shops have knitted jumpers that unpick and they then role into balls