activities

crazyone

Registered User
Dec 14, 2017
53
0
Hi - after quite a few weeks of hardly eating, Dad is doing reasonably well in that department, but his Alzheimers seems to have progressed quite rapidly. He is 96, nearly blind, cannot support his own weight for more than a minute or so with a frame, incontinent and cannot concentrate. He is constantly saying 'what do I do now' and would like us to take him out, but we cannot now get him down the 3 front door steps. Even when we could get him out he fell asleep.
Can anyone suggest any activities we can do with him? We are at a loss. He can't see photos, dislikes the radio, turns away from the tv, and falls asleep when you are talking to him. It's awful seeing him so confused and distressed. We kneel in front of him, face to face hold his hand, and talk to him as much as we can, but trying to keep that up day after day for hours is impossible.
 

Clutterbuck

New member
Jan 20, 2018
8
0
Derbyshire
Hi - after quite a few weeks of hardly eating, Dad is doing reasonably well in that department, but his Alzheimers seems to have progressed quite rapidly. He is 96, nearly blind, cannot support his own weight for more than a minute or so with a frame, incontinent and cannot concentrate. He is constantly saying 'what do I do now' and would like us to take him out, but we cannot now get him down the 3 front door steps. Even when we could get him out he fell asleep.
Can anyone suggest any activities we can do with him? We are at a loss. He can't see photos, dislikes the radio, turns away from the tv, and falls asleep when you are talking to him. It's awful seeing him so confused and distressed. We kneel in front of him, face to face hold his hand, and talk to him as much as we can, but trying to keep that up day after day for hours is impossible.

Does he like listening to music? Maybe you could put together a CD or mp3 of music that he has listened to and loved in his life and play that to him. Music creates a great sense of well being for people with dementia and can help to soothe agitation too.
If he enjoys being outdoors but can't get outside safely, you could try a cd of bird song? there are also lots of birdsong videos on youtube if you have access to the internet/ipad etc??
Try as many sensory things as you can with him...maybe some therapy putty that he can play with in his hands or a soft blanket on his knee so he can touch it. Hand massage might help too..but could send him to sleep but it will help him to relax.
Hope this helps.
 

DollyBird16

Registered User
Sep 5, 2017
1,185
0
Greater London
Hi
It’s so awful seeing the decline.
Like clutterbuck I do hand massage with Mum and her feet, I get her to do my hands too. Mum will also sit and brush my hair for quite some time.
I bought her a faux fur through which she adores and will sit and stroke.
I also use music she likes, not random radio which does not capture her interest.
I’ll keep thinking.
Did he previously have interests that you could introduce in some way. X
 

crazyone

Registered User
Dec 14, 2017
53
0
Thank you both. Unfortunately Dad has always disliked music. He used to make mum turn it off! The only things that he was ever really interested in were diy and the war. We got him a selection of war films, but he doesn't want to watch them now.
 

DeMartin

Registered User
Jul 4, 2017
711
0
Kent
Thank you both. Unfortunately Dad has always disliked music. He used to make mum turn it off! The only things that he was ever really interested in were diy and the war. We got him a selection of war films, but he doesn't want to watch them now.
Would he listen to books?
 

crazyone

Registered User
Dec 14, 2017
53
0
Thanks DeMartin. Things like this are beyond him now. He would wonder where the voice was coming from, and wouldn't be able to keep up with what it was about. He lives alone, but we are there about 7-8 hours daily between us
 

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