İdeas for my 'bored' mum

[Nyl]

Hi
Looking for ideas for mum, diagnosed last year with alzheimers, she was referred to a day centre in March but then lockdown hit. She just sits at home all day says shes bored, tried crosswords,magazines,books,knitting, jigsaws, embroidery, but i think its all to hard for her to manage even though she used to love all these things.
Hardly ever watches the TV as she just says 'i dont know what they are going on about'
Constantly says 'im bored' 'nothing to do' but all attempts to get her to interact with anything seems to be failing.

 

[Louise7]

Hello @Nyl welcome to the forum. As you have found, it's not easy trying to keep someone occupied, particularly when options are limited. Does your mum live alone? Sometimes just having someone there to chat to helps. If you haven't already done so, maybe try to suggest that she 'helps' with sorting out ironing, laundry etc, such as folding items, putting socks together etc. My mum can't really follow TV programmes now but she loves music and will happily listen to the radio - maybe that might be something that your mum would like, or CD's with favourite songs on? I'm sure others will be along soon with other suggestions!

 

[nitram]

My wife was happy spending hours tearing images out of travel brochures, when she was at day centre I used to clear up and replenish the stock of brochures.

 

[Nyl]

Hello @Nyl welcome to the forum. As you have found, it's not easy trying to keep someone occupied, particularly when options are limited. Does your mum live alone? Sometimes just having someone there to chat to helps. If you haven't already done so, maybe try to suggest that she 'helps' with sorting out ironing, laundry etc, such as folding items, putting socks together etc. My mum can't really follow TV programmes now but she loves music and will happily listen to the radio - maybe that might be something that your mum would like, or CD's with favourite songs on? I'm sure others will be along soon with other suggestions!

Hi Louise
Thanks for your reply and suggestions,
Yes she does live alone. Has very little laundry and we now have to do it all for her. Might try the radio as this is something she used to listen to.
Just finding it hard as she seems to have no interest in anything anymore.

 

[Louise7]

If your mum has lost interest in things it's possible that she may be depressed. This can be common in those with dementia, and the lockdown isn't helping either. You mentioned in your first post that magazines, knitting, jigsaws etc may be too hard for her to manage now but if she doesn't have any interest in anything you suggest then it may be worth considering if this is down to a low mood rather than an inability to do things anymore. My mum (with alzheimer's) was prescribed a low dose of an anti-depressant for a while when she was feeling low and it did help, so maybe a chat with the GP would be helpful? You might find this factsheet useful too: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about...nosis/apathy-depression-anxiety#content-start

 

[lollyc]

My Mum quite enjoys the adult colouring books. Never thought I would see the day, but that's dementia for you. She still reads (although I'm not certain that she really understands the story), but adult books are now simply too complicated for her. I buy her young adult classics - The Railway Children, Swallows and Amazons etc., and she seems to enjoy these.
As she lives alone, is it may be that your mum is unable to work her television, to find programmes that she might like? It took us a very long time to realise that Mum simply had no idea how the listings magazine related to the television, or how to select the correct channel, if she did find something she wanted to watch.