Hi! My mom just turned 100 years old and is sharp as a tack (er...except when she isn't...we have our moments). She can't see well, can't hear well, isn't very mobile, but in her heart of hearts, she is still a vigorous young woman. She goes crazy if she doesn't have something to do. Sometimes I have to fib a little to keep her busy, but if any of you have this problem, here are a few things I do:
0 Buy a cheap shredder and ask her for her help disposing of clutter. PROBLEM: You eventually run out of paper and things to shred, but it's good while it lasts!
0 Buy a fast photo scanner. I print documents from my Word files and ask her to scan in every morning. Here's where I feel a little guilty: I usually having her scan the same thing every day. Saves on printer paper!
0 Go to the bank and get several rolls of coins. Ask her to separate them into baggies. If she can do it, ask her to put them in wrappers.
0 Ask her to sort white clothes from colored clothes before you put them in the laundry.
0 Get a bunch of old towels (as many as possible), and go through your "must go to Goodwill bags." Ask her to fold the towels and clothes.
0 If she likes housekeeping (my mom doesn't, which is probably why I'm a neat freak), ask her to do some dusting.
0 Sit down and ask her advice...then listen seriously. She has decades of experience and you might learn something!
0 Go to a YouTube or Audible that you think she might like, then give her earphones, make her comfortable and let her enjoy.
0 If she doesn't mind reminiscing, ask her to dictate the memories of her life or write them out.
0 Envelope stuffing. Another one I feel guilty over, but it does occupy her mind. Print out a hundred or so flyers (you can make them up yourself), put out a bunch of envelopes and tell her that a friend is starting a business and needs someone to help with the envelope stuffing. This one really makes me feel guilty. I don't like fibbing, but I feel a little better when I see that it makes her feel like she is contributing.
These are just a few tips. I'd love to hear yours! I can use all the help I can get!!! Here's to our moms and dads and their desire to still be helpful, useful, and busy. I know when I get to that age (God willing!), I'd want to feel like I was still an important part of life.
I also ask her to do shredding by hand sometimes. I give her a stack of paper that needs to be shredded and ask her if she will just tear them by hand.