Winter Indoor Activities

[Rosebush]

@dancer12 I think your husbands brother maybe living with me. Up and down the stairs all day long unless of course he is off walking in the forests and mountains. I would love it is he would try to do a puzzle or dominos. But I am open to trying things. Bring on the ideas.

My OH paces most of the day, he even eats his breakfast walking from room to room which really gets on my nerves, then before I've finished my breakfast he's got his coat on ready to go out! Lx

 

[dancer12]

My OH paces most of the day, he even eats his breakfast walking from room to room which really gets on my nerves, then before I've finished my breakfast he's got his coat on ready to go out! Lx

Hi Rosebush:

I thought my husband was the only one pacing all day. I swear he must put in about 20,000 steps per day. When I tell him we have to go out, he's waiting by the door half dressed. Since he misplaces things I have to go looking all over the house for his things, now that the cold weather is coming & more things to put on & lose it'll take forever. . By the time we are both ready I'm to tired to go out It reminds me of when I sent the kids out to play in the winter, I'd get them all ready (snowsuits, boots, gloves, hats, scarves etc.), by the time they were ready one of them would have to go to the bathroom. And the procedure would start all over again. Five minutes after they finally headed out the door, I'd hear a knock, "Mommy it's to cold out" Off come the snowsuits etc. Exhaustion then & exhaustion now. Only difference before it was the kids & now it's my husband and I'm just tired.

 

[RosettaT]

My OH was pilot and it was also his hobby. The only thing he likes reading is the Which? magazines so I've started to keep the older copies to give him again as he doesn't recognise he's read them before. He will also watch WWll films which I record as many as I can. He loves walking we still do 2-3 miles a day but it is starting to tell on him. Looks like I'll need to cut the distance we walk in one go but go more often. If the weather is inclement I look for jobs around the house as he will help me by hoovering &washing up.

 

[Boromir]

Re activities, how about the less complicated Airfix kits? I believe there are types which are more snap/click these days, ie. they don't need glue.

 

[Rosie4u]

I had to laugh when I saw winter indoor activities !!! Would raise a smile with some of the girls I know !!

Anyway - seriously I am having trouble thinking of things to do - otherwise the furniture is rearranged / cushions moved , items lost for ever. Everything I suggest he says no to.
Used to walk a lot so try to do that and have dominoes , snakes and ladders, and he used to do lego so I might get that out..
Would love to read a book !!

 

[Agzy]

My husband is the same, not interested in anything except baseball & cars. It's going to be a long winter. All he does is go up & down the stairs, I watch him and just shake my head.
Good Luck. Hope you find something to interest him.

My OH has no idea of counting the spots and choosing which tile to play but has an amazing ability to win or stick the game up!

 

[Howdy]

My father in law loved singing along to Christmas songs whether carols or pop songs. We took him to services where nobody minded him conducting or singing his own words. At this time of year there are lots of CDs with Christmas music; we didn't use them so much at home since we just sang with him all the time, but CDs might help.
Hope it's OK to mention that Barrington Court, National Trust, in South Somerset, is hosting "Relaxed" days on Mondays & Fridays in Dec this year. (Also 19 & 26 Nov.) Property is open 1030h-1500h, disabled visitor half-price and one or two carers free; no need to 'prove' you're a carer, just say so -- that's NT policy. I'm a volunteer at Barrington Court and have organised live music on those days. Manager chose Mon & Fri because the place is very quiet, no families making happy noises and running round. They're called Relaxed, like some big concert performances, because nobody will mind a bit if a visitor starts conducting etc.

 

[Howdy]

Thank you for the information. Rather a long drive but certainly sounds like a good day out with our membership.

 

[Howdy]

Seems like folk either like to keep going actively or sit looking- a mixture would give more variety and options to we carers. We do a coffee trip every day, mostly with a wander up the high street, coffee, buy the paper and home - its the only exercise I get now but I find physically supporting the OH exhausting due to carrying the weight but a stick/walking poles will not be considered. Indoors its either me providing the occupation/stimulation or OH sleeps after looking at paper. Watching the same TV programme again and again gets very wearing! Again its down to the carer to support OH at various dementia friendly activities - singing is very popular and we are about to try adapted Tai Chi and dance session.

 

[dancer12]

@dancer12 I think your husbands brother maybe living with me. Up and down the stairs all day long unless of course he is off walking in the forests and mountains. I would love it is he would try to do a puzzle or dominos. But I am open to trying things. Bring on the ideas.

Hi PalSal:

Like mine ,t sounds like your husband enjoys being active,

I had to laugh when I saw winter indoor activities !!! Would raise a smile with some of the girls I know !!

Anyway - seriously I am having trouble thinking of things to do - otherwise the furniture is rearranged / cushions moved , items lost for ever. Everything I suggest he says no to.
Used to walk a lot so try to do that and have dominoes , snakes and ladders, and he used to do lego so I might get that out..
Would love to read a book !!

Hi:

My husband's shoulder is so the Occupational Therapist suggested I used one of those bands that are bought in sports stores. She tied middle around a banister and put ends in his hands and told him to pull band, first seesaw method (one hand over other), up & down with one hand then switch hands & then both hands at same time. It keeps him busy. She also suggested he could stand in front of a wall & kick a ball into wall, when it returns kick it back with other foot .It keeps them active and they might also enjoy it Indoor bowling is also fun, but you might have to set up pins all the time.

 

[Niggy]

Anybody know of any simple indoor activities for the winter that I can give my husband to do Many Thanks

My friend's mother spent many happy hours colouring in pictures or patterns. Anything easy and repetitive may catch his interest. My OH played dominoes with our son for a while, then they started making towers with the dominoes, He enjoyed that. Maybe Lego or Duplo, or even Meccano? I'm thinking of children's games e.g. flying hats or snakes and ladders. He also likes polishing things, e.g. tables. He does like doing things with me, rather than on his own. Maybe you could get a cleaner for a couple of hours a week, so you could spend more time playing with him. Never mind the housework, that will always be there. Good luck, Niggy.

 

[dancer12]

My friend's mother spent many happy hours colouring in pictures or patterns. Anything easy and repetitive may catch his interest. My OH played dominoes with our son for a while, then they started making towers with the dominoes, He enjoyed that. Maybe Lego or Duplo, or even Meccano? I'm thinking of children's games e.g. flying hats or snakes and ladders. He also likes polishing things, e.g. tables. He does like doing things with me, rather than on his own. Maybe you could get a cleaner for a couple of hours a week, so you could spend more time playing with him. Never mind the housework, that will always be there. Good luck, Niggy.

Hi Niggy:

Thanks for suggestions. The children's toys would be great, there are so many colourful ones out there but my husband thinks they are not for him, he is an ADULT MALE. He has many times told me that. I once brought him home a snap car (he always liked cars). I thought he could snap together & then paint. It said ages 5+, he saw that and simply threw it on the floor. He doesn't like puzzles, games hurt his head, doesn't play games - all he does is pace up & down and wait for someone to take him out so he can socialize with others. I can't take him out all the time. If he could he'd be out all day.

 

[Joyful]

My husband has taken to watching Christmas movies on the tv. I think because they are "nice" with a happy ending and he feels safe watching them compared to the news and murder mystery programmes which he finds scary now. His hobbies were golf and cycling both of which he can't do now. It's difficult to get him interested in puzzles etc. He is just not interested.

 

[magspecial]

Yes, I'm dreading winter too. He spent all day pottering in the garden in the summer.
Here is where my planning has taken us so far.
I've tried Adult colouring books - no good for him. Not interested. But they help me
I've tried a jigsaw puzzle made with a photo he loves of our four children. Not interested. But it helps me
We do go to a wonderful dementia friendly choir once a week and both love that. He has always been interested in music and still sings well at 80. Now he hums all the time!! No song. Just the sensation he seems happy with.
Our children bought us an Alexa for our 80th. and it's been a godsend.
We are going through all the singers, groups and bands we knew in our youth.
I just say - Alexa, play some Guy Mitchell or play some music from the 50's and we listen for hours at a time.
He is happier too if he can do his sudoku at the same time.
And, believe it or not, he loves polishing brasses!!!
Sorry this is so long but hope it might help somebody.

 

[dancer12]

Yes, I'm dreading winter too. He spent all day pottering in the garden in the summer.
Here is where my planning has taken us so far.
I've tried Adult colouring books - no good for him. Not interested. But they help me
I've tried a jigsaw puzzle made with a photo he loves of our four children. Not interested. But it helps me
We do go to a wonderful dementia friendly choir once a week and both love that. He has always been interested in music and still sings well at 80. Now he hums all the time!! No song. Just the sensation he seems happy with.
Our children bought us an Alexa for our 80th. and it's been a godsend.
We are going through all the singers, groups and bands we knew in our youth.
I just say - Alexa, play some Guy Mitchell or play some music from the 50's and we listen for hours at a time.
He is happier too if he can do his sudoku at the same time.
And, believe it or not, he loves polishing brasses!!!
Sorry this is so long but hope it might help somebody.

Hi magspecial:

Thanks. Sometimes I set things up for him, it takes 30 minutes or more to find everything, he colours for 5 minutes & says okay I'm finished what do we do next. He used to go out to shovel snow but now I can't leave him on his own so I have to shovel snow myself. I can just see it now - I shovel the snow from the sidewalk & he puts it back on the sidewalk. Just like in the grocery store I put the groceries from cart & he puts them back in cart. I HAVE TO LAUGH. It's definitely going to be a LONG, LONG winter. Here's hoping for an early spring.

 

[gotanybiscuits?]

Hi magspecial:

Thanks. Sometimes I set things up for him, it takes 30 minutes or more to find everything, he colours for 5 minutes & says okay I'm finished what do we do next. He used to go out to shovel snow but now I can't leave him on his own so I have to shovel snow myself. I can just see it now - I shovel the snow from the sidewalk & he puts it back on the sidewalk. Just like in the grocery store I put the groceries from cart & he puts them back in cart. I HAVE TO LAUGH. It's definitely going to be a LONG, LONG winter. Here's hoping for an early spring.

Reminds me of last winter.
We had snow, but no need to go out for a few days, so I just left it alone until either it became a problem, or melted.
Dad was agitated that I hadn't cleared the garden paths (not the route in/out, or driveway) & eventually started it himself......
......and created a beautiful diagonal across the lawn, where there is no path, between two places we had no need to be at!!
I like to think it kept him 'happy' for a couple of days

 

[dancer12]

Reminds me of last winter.
We had snow, but no need to go out for a few days, so I just left it alone until either it became a problem, or melted.
Dad was agitated that I hadn't cleared the garden paths (not the route in/out, or driveway) & eventually started it himself......
......and created a beautiful diagonal across the lawn, where there is no path, between two places we had no need to be at!!
I like to think it kept him 'happy' for a couple of days

Hi gotanybiscuits?

If shovelling the grass keeps him happy, more power to him. As long as he's able to do it and it's not to exerting, it's good exercise and it keeps him busy & out of trouble As they say idle hands are mischievious hands.. They need things to do as we all do. Thanks for sharing your story, it's cute. Could he play lawn checkers? It's funny the things the mind creates in order to keep busy.

 

[Duggies-girl]

Last year when we had bad snow some kind chap from down the road sprinkled salt on the paths and drives of all the elderly residents in dad's road.

How thoughtful was that. Not according to dad. No some bloody idiot had put salt all over his drive and made a mess of it and now it looked terrible (salt was brown)

Dad is very tidy.

 

[dancer12]

Last year when we had bad snow some kind chap from down the road sprinkled salt on the paths and drives of all the elderly residents in dad's road.

How thoughtful was that. Not according to dad. No some bloody idiot had put salt all over his drive and made a mess of it and now it looked terrible (salt was brown)

Dad is very tidy.

Hi:

I guess we have to take everything with a grain of white salt. They can drive you around the bend but they are comical at times.

 

[PalSal]

Yes, I'm dreading winter too. He spent all day pottering in the garden in the summer.
Here is where my planning has taken us so far.
I've tried Adult colouring books - no good for him. Not interested. But they help me
I've tried a jigsaw puzzle made with a photo he loves of our four children. Not interested. But it helps me
We do go to a wonderful dementia friendly choir once a week and both love that. He has always been interested in music and still sings well at 80. Now he hums all the time!! No song. Just the sensation he seems happy with.
Our children bought us an Alexa for our 80th. and it's been a godsend.
We are going through all the singers, groups and bands we knew in our youth.
I just say - Alexa, play some Guy Mitchell or play some music from the 50's and we listen for hours at a time.
He is happier too if he can do his sudoku at the same time.
And, believe it or not, he loves polishing brasses!!!
Sorry this is so long but hope it might help somebody.

@magspecial
Yes, it helps me to read. It reinforces my firm conviction, That when I make myself happy life is easier for OH.