Any suggestions ?

[Dawnb]

Hello All
I think someone has posted about this before but I cant seem to find the thread anymore.I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions in terms of keeping someone with AD occupied in the evening times or during the day. Dad is 61 and my mum is the main carer, but we all try and help out as best we can. But what my mum finds most difficult is to try and keep dad doing something as his attention span is zero at this stage, if you give him a book he will just flick through it and not really even read it, he seems to get bored with television and in general is walking around aimlessly a lot of the time.
They go for walks every day, but the problem is that there has to be a toilet nearby as dad constantly seems to want to use the bathroom ( not sure that he actually goes all the time but his brain is obviously sending him mixed singnals in that dept !)
It would just be good to hear if anyone has any suggestions, he was always a very active sporty person, but trying to explain anything that involves co-ordination etc is more hassle than its worth as he ends up getting more confused. He was never really an arty person, or a reader so its probably no surprise that he does not want to do that sort of thing now either.
We have tried to explain to mum that its not always possible to keep someone occupied all the time, but she finds it difficult to watch him being so restless all the time.
Thanks for listening.
Dawn

 

[daughter]

Hi Dawn,

You're quite right about it being impossible to keep someone occupied all the time and yet I know the restlessness is very difficult to watch and exhausting, always trying to find ways to distract.

My Dad likes playing 'catch' with a ball and it amazes me how he still has good co-ordination! Have you tried with your Dad? The good thing is he can sit down and still play. We have also tried rolling the ball across the table at each other, trying to score a goal - it appeals to the footballer! These both involve other people of course.

My Dad also likes sweeping the garden paths, any kind of tidying or cleaning really (when he's in the mood - as with everything else). It seems to appeal to his sense of order. He also likes jig-saws. I don't know if you've seen these books of jig-saws with animals in, they are nice and colourful and don't have too many pieces.

I found a couple of past links which may also help:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=1086&highlight=occupied

"She was so desperately bored. I tried to think of ways to keep her amused and occupied, but as she wanted something USEFULL to do... my options were very limited... I realised after a while that most of the bizarre things she did, were pretty much as a result of her boredom. A bored 71 year old will not normally wrap every item of cutlery up in toilet paper, but a bored 71 year old with AD, thinks that is a very productive way to spend the afternoon.... Do you know what I mean?"

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=947&highlight=occupied

All the best,

 

[Dawnb]

Hi Hazel
Thanks for your reply. Funny you should say about sweeping and cleaning up, the other day he apparently went out to the back garden and picked every single daisy !! Now theres patience for you !!