Ideas needed

[dillon]

hello I am new on here.

My Nan has alzeimers and my grandad was her carer until recent when he passed away.

I finish work this friday to care for my nan who has moved into to my parents house full time.

I need to do things with her to keep her to try and help her and was wondering if what everyone else does.

so far She loves Ironing can do it for hours so keeps her busy for a bit.

I have got her into a day care centre on a Monday and was going to go to a coffee morning with her on a friday.

We are in Medway Kent, so if anyone knows anything going on that would be good for her please let me know.


Thank you

 

[dmc]

Hello dillon

welcome to TP

sorry i dont live in your area which is a shame cos ive got loads of ironing she could do

on a more serious note, as long as my mum is outside she's happy so we'll be taking her on little trips, i have a car so im lucky there,
her attention span isnt great so its hard to keep her interested in things for a long length of time, anyway im sure you'll get loads more ideas from the others on TP
sounds like you got a good start already

best wishes

 

[Áine]

Hi Dillon

Your nan sounds quite a bit more able than my dad (then again ...... I'm not sure he was EVER able to iron

Family photos, and scrapbooks or memories are fun and interesting. Books and videos - dad can't concentrate enough to follow a plot or anything - but videos of places he's visited, railway engines, wildlife etc can interest him for a while. Likewise, books of old photos of cities he's lived in, places he's visited.

Good luck in your new job

Áine

 

[Angel]

How lovely that a young person is willing to give up his job to care for his Grandmother. Good on you. I took my mother (in a home) to a garden centre for a look round. She loved all the colourful flowers . Everything she described as orangey red so I told her the true colours. It is like teaching a young child again. She may not remember those colours next time but we had fun with them. She likes a walk around a pond and points out the ducks. She enjoys going shopping with me when out and the interaction with former friends and acquaintances. You could try to play pairs (cards) or dominoes. She will love some old time music. She will sing along and know the words. Try Frank Sinatra, Vera Lynn, Bing Crosby etc. I've asked my children to play me the Beatles when I've gone the same way!
Try and get the day centre to have your Nan more days per week, so that you get your break. Good luck. A.

 

[Margarita]

From another AZ site that said that they do not mind shareing


Sort poker chips
Rake leaves
Roll yarn into a ball
Clean out a pumpkin
Reminisce about a favorite summer
Make a brithday cake
Bake cookies
Use the carpet sweeper
Read out loud
Count tickets
Look up names in the phone book
Read the daily paper out loud
Ask a friend, neighbor, church acquaintance who has a baby or young child to visit
Listen to polka music
Plant seeds indoors or out
Look at family photographs
Toss a ball
Color pictures
Make homemade lemonade
Wipe off the table
Weed the flower bed
Make cream cheese mints (2 lbs powdered sugar, 8 ozs cream cheese, 2 drops peppermint extract, food coloring as desired, knead together and press into mint molds.)
Have a spelling bee
Read aloud from the Reader's Digest
Fold clothes
Have a neighbor or friend who has a calm pet visit
Cut pictures out of greeting cards
Wash silverware
Bake homemade bread
Sort objects such as beads by shape or color
Sing Christmas carols
Say "tell me more" when they start talking about a memory
Put silverware away
Make a Valentine collage
Play favorite songs & sing together
Take a ride
Make a cherry pie
Read aloud from labels
Dye Easter eggs
Make a basket of socks
Take a walk
Reminisce about the 1st day of school
String Cheerios to hang outside for the birds
Make a fresh fruit salad
Sweep the patio
Color paper shamrocks green
Fold towels
Have afternoon tea
Remember great inventions
Play Pictionary
Paint a sheet
Cut out paper dolls
Identify states and capitols
Make a family tree poster
Color a picture of our flag
Cook hot dogs outside
Grow magic rocks
Water house plants
Reminisce about the first kiss
Play horseshoes
Dance
Sing favorite hymns
Make homemade ice cream
Force bulbs for winter blooming
Make christmas cards
Sort playing cards by their color
Write a letter to a family member
Dress in red on a football Saturday
Pop popcorn
Name the presidents
Give a manicure
Make paper butterflies
Plant a tree
Make a May basket
Make homemade applesauce
Finish famous sayings
Feed the ducks
Mold with Playdough
Look at pictures in a National Geographic Magazine
Put a simple puzzle together
Sand wood
Rub in hand lotion with a pleasant scent
Decorate paper place mats
Arrange fresh flowers
Remember famous people
Straighten underwear drawer
Finish nursery rhymes
Make peanut butter sandwiches
Wipe off patio furniture
Cut up used paper for scratch paper
Take care of a fish tank
Trace and cut out leaves
Ask simple trivia questions
Finish Bible quotes
Paint with string
Cut out pictures from magazines
Read classic short stories
Put coins into a jar
Sew sewing cards
Put bird feed out for birds

 

[Tender Face]

Getting out and about

Hi Dillon!

If you're keen to get grandma out and about are there any local history societies/museums/archives around? (we have LOADS here - a lot to do with the Industrial Revolution I believe!). I'm thinking along the slideshows (usually with afternoon tea!) they often run.... the good old local library is a good bet for finding out about them and lots of others... Also, have you tried your local council website or do they run anykind of magazine? - ours is particuarly good for promoting local activities for all age groups and abilities. (Often free, or a nominal cost with details of accessibility etc).

Best of luck, full of admiration - not just for what you're doing but how you're going about doing it!! Brilliant!

Love, Karen (TF)

 

[jarnee]

Hi Dillon,

Isn't it funny how you can make a judgement on a person, just by reading a few lines of what they write on the internet.

I think you're fab, Dillon!!! Well done you, for looking after your nan and for planning to do a good and loving job of it. Do stay around TP, won't you.

Oh and THANKS, MARGARITA!!!! for posting so many ideas and leaving practically none for the rest of us to offer CHEERS!!!

Just teasing

Good luck, Dillon, glad you found TP.

Jarnee,
X

 

[noelphobic]

From another AZ site that said that they do not mind shareing


Sort poker chips
Rake leaves
Roll yarn into a ball
Clean out a pumpkin
Reminisce about a favorite summer
Make a brithday cake
Bake cookies
Use the carpet sweeper
Read out loud
Count tickets
Look up names in the phone book
Read the daily paper out loud
Ask a friend, neighbor, church acquaintance who has a baby or young child to visit
Listen to polka music
Plant seeds indoors or out
Look at family photographs
Toss a ball
Color pictures
Make homemade lemonade
Wipe off the table
Weed the flower bed
Make cream cheese mints (2 lbs powdered sugar, 8 ozs cream cheese, 2 drops peppermint extract, food coloring as desired, knead together and press into mint molds.)
Have a spelling bee
Read aloud from the Reader's Digest
Fold clothes
Have a neighbor or friend who has a calm pet visit
Cut pictures out of greeting cards
Wash silverware
Bake homemade bread
Sort objects such as beads by shape or color
Sing Christmas carols
Say "tell me more" when they start talking about a memory
Put silverware away
Make a Valentine collage
Play favorite songs & sing together
Take a ride
Make a cherry pie
Read aloud from labels
Dye Easter eggs
Make a basket of socks
Take a walk
Reminisce about the 1st day of school
String Cheerios to hang outside for the birds
Make a fresh fruit salad
Sweep the patio
Color paper shamrocks green
Fold towels
Have afternoon tea
Remember great inventions
Play Pictionary
Paint a sheet
Cut out paper dolls
Identify states and capitols
Make a family tree poster
Color a picture of our flag
Cook hot dogs outside
Grow magic rocks
Water house plants
Reminisce about the first kiss
Play horseshoes
Dance
Sing favorite hymns
Make homemade ice cream
Force bulbs for winter blooming
Make christmas cards
Sort playing cards by their color
Write a letter to a family member
Dress in red on a football Saturday
Pop popcorn
Name the presidents
Give a manicure
Make paper butterflies
Plant a tree
Make a May basket
Make homemade applesauce
Finish famous sayings
Feed the ducks
Mold with Playdough
Look at pictures in a National Geographic Magazine
Put a simple puzzle together
Sand wood
Rub in hand lotion with a pleasant scent
Decorate paper place mats
Arrange fresh flowers
Remember famous people
Straighten underwear drawer
Finish nursery rhymes
Make peanut butter sandwiches
Wipe off patio furniture
Cut up used paper for scratch paper
Take care of a fish tank
Trace and cut out leaves
Ask simple trivia questions
Finish Bible quotes
Paint with string
Cut out pictures from magazines
Read classic short stories
Put coins into a jar
Sew sewing cards
Put bird feed out for birds

That's all well and good but what will they do in the afternoon

 

[jarnee]

Thanks, Noelphobic...You made me laugh out loud at the end of 2 rubbish days !
J
X

 

[Lynne]

Hiya Dillon

A bit late in on this thread, you've certainly got a few ideas now (Huh, after Margarita's great list, "follow that!") but just wanted to add my congratulations & good wishes for good times with your gradmother whilst she is still active and able to get out & about with you.
My own Mum is 87, and seems most at ease with things she can remember from over 10 years back (before her AD began to show) I suppose things from the past are 'no-pressure' subjects, whereas life now is (mentally) becoming more of a struggle.

I hope your Grandmother and all her family can have many good times together while she still feels likegetting out (especially now the sun is shining). Sieze the day!

 

[Margarita]

jarnee same hear noelphobic made me lol to

Took my mum to a pub Lunch to day Only thing with getting mum out side , is that she can not walk to far ,last week when I took her to a pub lunch she went in a wheelchair ,today she would not get in to one ,so mum learn on me & brother arm , on the way back it was hard going it’s a shame really as I would love to take her for a walk around the park , she lean hard on my arm & I have sciatica