My husband is 74 and has dementia. I had to put him in the nursing home because I wasn’t able to care for him at home anymore. He sleeps and smokes all day and is up and down at night going out to smoke at all hours. Today he said he’s board and that’s why he goes to bed. I’ve brought things up to the activity director and I’ve been told if I think of anything for the men to do I needed to let the director know. I don’t mind helping but I don’t know where to look for ideas. I’ve thought of word finds for my husband but he sees that as childish. He built major roads around KS City yrs ago and wasn’t into word games, sports or golfing. He likes skeet shooting and messing with guns. He used to play in a band back in the day and I’ve taken his guitar to the care home thinking maybe he’d work with that but nope he wasn’t interested. They play bingo down there twice a week but he sees that as ridiculous. I’ve taken some of his gun books down that he always said he wanted time to read but he hasn’t opened them, but I don’t think he could read a sentence or two and even remember what he read. I tried telling him that it’s exercise for the brain. I keep telling him he’s got to challenge his brain instead of sleeping all day and being up and down all night...
Can anyone give me suggestions of where I can look for ideas?
Thank You in advance...
However it is unsafe to have guns, major electrical woodworking tools etc in a NH - so many 'male' hobbies do not work in that type of setting - alternatives have to be started early enough in life that they are automatic when dementia sets in - good luck
If he copes well, may be they could have a build day (Or two). If one of the guys is too shakey, they he could pull off the bits, another could make shure they have no 'stick out bits' if they do file them off with a nail file (Round ended for safety)
Are any of them able to paint the models (with guidance?)
They dont have to be small pieces.
Have a day where they cut up old, donated cards into gift tags (for charity). If they use pinking shears, it will give they an interesting finish.
I agree with the knitting. LOads of different coulour of wool can be knitted into squares. Then someone, may be you, could sew them together and donate to a worthy cause or animal shelter.
If they feel they are doing it to help others, it might make it more interesting for them.
Good Luck
Buzzy
Other possibilities might be finding and bringing in some old magazines and advertisements, and asking him what he knows about them.
It may sound idealistic but this kind of music therapy has been shown to provide dementia patients with a lot of joy and helps to activate parts of the brain, get them talking and laughing.
1. A shave
2. A shower
3. Breakfast
4. A five minute walk
5. A gavem
6. Rest perios
7. Snack
8. A five minute walk
9. A treat if allowed ( icecream, cookie, etc.)
10. Checkers Challenge. (Keeping track of your and his wins and losses.)
11. A five minute walk
12. TV Time
13. Cribbage. Learn it with him. Great for memory
The key is to make a schedule that is posted, and then one that check marks can be added to. Routine and order help with memory.
I'm not sure the Activity Director has fully read the Activity Director's job description.
Poker.
Motor sport related video games, ideally motion-controlled types so that they get some physical activity with it.
If there's space in the car park, invite local plant hire companies to come and give guided talks about their machines.
Scalextric is the car race game Becky's thinking of! - just glanced down and saw her post.
But meanwhile - get your husband's mental health checked out. Dementia and cognitive impairment do not stop you developing depression, quite the opposite, and it sounds as if that might be half the problem. Boredom and poor sleep patterns are classic signs as well as causes of it. It's a real chicken-and-egg problem, and there might be therapies and/or medications that could help.
PS Table tennis! With larger, soft, neon coloured balls to make it easier. In fact, look up sport and games for people with disabilities - for example, walking soccer has become incredibly popular with older men in recent years - anything that gets them moving and gives them something to concentrate on.
Thank You for responding...
Thank You for your response
I hope this helps God bless
The NH activities director sounds lazy to me. Some are good at the job and others aren’t. Why should you have to do her job? She should be researching and calling other NH and MC places to get ideas. Sheesh!!
I think it depends on where you are what this is. Here it is for the worse of the worst. It would be cruel to put anyone with any cognition at all in MC here. More of a people warehouse.
He has Dementia so at this Point, All you can do is Be there for Him with your own Hymn.
This could be done with showing movies too, and make it feel like a movie theater...
Just thinking out loud.
Today, my dad enjoys music. With some of the slow songs, while standing in front of him, we hold hands & sway back and forth. I will hold his legs & move them like he is riding a bicycle. We do this everyday for excercises.
Maybe he’s very bored and the only change of scenery is going outside to smoke. Even just a drive around the neighborhood if that’s possible. I don’t know your circumstances so forgive me if that isn’t feasible.