She lives in her own house with 24/7 aid. Whenever I visit she asks me what can I do? I just sit here all day I want something to do. I tried puzzles, books, magazines, even bought her crochet needles and yarn (used to do that years ago I thought long term memory would help) but she says her hands hurt her. I'm open to any suggestions.
She loves to arrange flowers. So, I bought several floral plastic containers with foam inside, and a big load of plastic flowers from the dollar store. I separated each flower from the big stems, so each flower can be picked up individually. I placed the floral containers at 4 places round her room with the flowers. She then arranges the flowers on her own and really enjoys doing it. Once or twice a day, I undo the flower arrangements (when she's out of her room) so she can start again.
The other thing that I have her do is hang clothes. I take from her closet a couple dozens of her pants or shirts and pile them on her bed with the hangers next to them. I tell her that these are her newly laundered pants/shirts, and that she can put them on the hangers and then put them away in the closet. She does this everyday.
I like the sorting/matching socks idea. I'm going to try that next week.
I also plan to make a small fidget blanket to hang on the wall, one with lots of little flowers attached to the end of the zippers so she can move them up/down and sideways to rearrange them. Can't find anything like that online.
When I can supervise, I ask her to wash some dishes and sweep the floor. Then I redo the chores.
They are kind of expensive to buy. I wonder what it would cost to make. I bet it would be fun to make.
I have a ton of shredding that needs to be done. My grandkids do it sometimes when they are here, but this would be perfect for Mama.
Thanks so much for this idea!
Mom does really well sorting a big bowl of change into smaller bowls by coin. She also likes looking through boxes of greeting cards and sorting them by "type". We go to estate sales and pick up boxes of miscellaneous cards for a few dollars and this keeps her busy for hours.
I have been known to spend way too much time in opportunity shops looking at old greeting cards... that's my sunset years sorted then 😁
I unmatched a bunch of socks in her sock drawer. I left the drawer open and pulled some socks out to put them on top of the dresser so she could see. She, on her own, saw the unmatched socks, proceeded to find the mates and put them together. Yay!
I have a feeling she'll find more unmatched socks tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after...
Inspired by this success, I am going to try having my mom fold small wash clothes. I'm going to buy a big stack of cheap ones.
"I have a feeling she'll find more unmatched socks tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after..." - that was too funny!
Loved the whole story :)
I talked about this with a lady of 92 who is being driven up the wall by having nothing to do. At first when we visited this home we were supporting her husband, even older, and we all thought he must be the most terrible tyrant because of how this sweet elderly lady scurried around fetching and carrying and cooking and cleaning. But now she's put her shoulder out, so she needs temporary support with personal care and rehab, and we see the truth of it - she just can't bear to sit still.
checkout. Sometimes I would throw clean towels in the dryer and have her fold them while they were warm. She loved it and she felt needed. I always thanked her and told her I hate folding towels. I miss her everyday.
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