Hi Everyone,
My grandma is 89 years old has been really bored, complains of long days. She currently lives in an independent senior community. My mom had been looking at assisted living for her, but due to the pandemic, she has decided grandma is safer where she is right now. As a family, we all agree with the decision. There are no covid cases in her building.
Its been a little rough over the last 5 months for grandma. Covid has disrupted her routine, she can be difficult, and her memory issues don't help. We decided as a family to limit in person contact with her. We keep masks on when we do see her. Because it's summer, we'll visit her and sit outside. The other issue we have is, grandma doesn't watch the national news and has no clue how bad it is right now in parts of the country.
Anyway, she's bored. Grandma won't do jigsaw puzzles, she doesn't use her blu-ray player, or read books. She likes adult coloring books and word search puzzles. My sister bought her a magazine subscription and has been sending her coloring books. Grandma is not good with technology so getting her a tablet won't help.
We need some more ideas. I know there is only so much we can do.
When they get this age its hard to keep them entertained especially when they didn't enjoy puzzles or games before the memory issues. Now, with memory problems, they can't be taught. COVID has put a "crimp" in everyones life, the elderly even more so.
The covid-19 response in my state is messed up. The republicans are currently trying to undo the governor's mask mandate that was just implemented. The state supreme court said the governor couldn't implement any restrictions back in May. As a result, the municipalities have been left to their own devices and our cases are going up. The whole situation is infuriating.
Sorry, I got on a bit of a tangent.
I'm glad your family has decided your grandma is safer staying at her independent senior community since there are no COVID cases in her building. That is amazing in and of itself! However, I do understand how the virus has disrupted her routine as it has for all the others - us included!
My mom is 95 with Alzheimer's and is in a new facility in their memory care wing due to contracting COVID back in April. I don't think she watches news per se but, I do tell her often about it and that she had it (she doesn't remember that part). This helps her know why we can't visit with her inside her apartment.
I do feel bad for all those who are in their facilities under lockdown. So it's no wonder they are bored, especially if the facility has had to discontinue their activities. So add to that the fact loved ones aren't allowed to visit them in person - no hugs, no sense of touch or connection and what do they have? Not too much.
In our case, the Activity Director is heavily involved with each resident trying to find something to help combat the boredom. I filled out an information sheet of interests she's had in the past so the director could know my mom better. I recently went to Amazon and bought a simple hand-held poker game - that's what my mom always used to do to pass the time long before she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and had to be moved to a facility. I gave it to the director so she could show her how to use it again since it had been four months but, my mom said she remembers how. At her previous AL facility, they tried to give her coloring books but, she told them she's not a child (she's the oldest of 8 siblings, 5 which are remaining)! I used to give her the word search puzzle books until clearing out her previous apartment and finding them all untouched. I would also give her a magazine every now and then but, could never tell if she looked at them. Also, I brought a small, compact boombox and set it to her favorite classical music station so all she had to do was push the "on" button (I took red nail polish and painted the "on" button).
So now, the director brought her dog and took her to visit my mom. Yesterday, she sent a picture of my mom laying in her hospital bed with the dog laying across her lap. She was smiling and petting the dog. I was very appreciative that the director would do such a thing and she said she would start bringing her dog once a week to visit my mom. I've brought our Dachshund to one of our "window visits" but, that was too difficult. So maybe you can talk with the Activity Director at her facility to see if they have any ideas or if your grandma likes dogs, ask the director if anyone on staff has a dog that would be able to do a pet visit. If it weren't for the virus, there would be organizations to call for trained "pet therapy" dogs.
I hope you and your family will be able to come up with something to help grandma with her boredom!
It's not the same as playing in the common room with other people but it might help pass the time.
She can call people who are isolated and alone every day to chat or you can sign her up to receive the call.
I would put her to doing something that helps others. Believe me when I say that a phone call means the world to someone living alone without any family. Getting a phone call from a peer is a new friendship waiting to happen.
Can she read large-print books? Most libraries have scads of them, and around here so do OpShops. Even talking to her about what authors are available might be a good conversation starter.
Good luck, and I hope there are more ideas.
Check them out online to see if you think she would enjoy them.
She may even have a few stories to share with them.