Maybe your mom would enjoy art books. You can get them at the library. The pages are vibrant and glossy and it can be fun and stimulating to talk about what you see, what you like, what kind of emotions the scenes invoke. And it's something you can do together.
Looking at old photos can be enjoyable if it's not too frustrating for your mom. Find some old family photos from your childhood and go through them and share your memories with your mom. She might enjoy photos of her relatives but if she is unable to remember distant relatives your mom will probably get bored so I'd stick with photos of your childhood.
This last idea would be an experiment but what about nature shows? There are documentaries on TV all the time about different aspects of nature. Wild animals, under the sea, forests, etc. I came across one one day and discovered it was very soothing. They're very visual and lively. I find them on the National Geographic Channel. As dull as it sounds, I watched a 2-hour documentary on the Great Barrier Reef and I really enjoyed it. There is a narrator but the screen is constantly on the subject, it never cuts away to anything (other than commercials). That might hold your mom's attention as the cinematography can be breathtaking.
I'm sure you're going to get a lot of great ideas. Come back and tell us how it went!
My Mom ia 87 and has dementia and is wheelchair bound due to being very frail. She still likes to feel like she is contributing around the house and used to love doing housework and tidying up.
She enjoys folding towels and pillow cases, although it does tend to tire her out after just a few. If she has the extra energy and wants to stay busy, I (behind her back) unfold a few and give them to her.
One major activity which is also a huge help to me is shredding of mail. I save my junk mail in a plastic garbage bag and when it's full, sit her down in front of the tv with the shredder next to her and let her shred away. It's not labor intensive but keeps her busy and she can see the progress she's making as the bag gets emptier. I need to stay close by as occasionally she jams it, but otherwise it keeps her occupied and feeling like she's accomplishing something, which she really is. Also it's something I can't stand doing myself! Also, there are a ton of old documents at her house that need to be shredded, so she'll be keeping busy from here to eternity.
If you aren't familiar with shredders, I got an Amazon brand one on Amazon dot com and it's very simple to operate, cross-cut (which is better than straight cut) AND best of all was I think around $99.00.
My Mom had dementia and I really enjoyed just talking with her. Some (most) of the conversations didn't make sense but they were fun! Just have to look past the non-reality and go with it. How about jigsaw puzzles, do word search puzzles, trivia with easy questions. Play music, watch old time dancing shows if she used to like to dance, watch old shows like Bonanza or Johnny Carson. Easy coloring books.
Looking at old photos can be enjoyable if it's not too frustrating for your mom. Find some old family photos from your childhood and go through them and share your memories with your mom. She might enjoy photos of her relatives but if she is unable to remember distant relatives your mom will probably get bored so I'd stick with photos of your childhood.
This last idea would be an experiment but what about nature shows? There are documentaries on TV all the time about different aspects of nature. Wild animals, under the sea, forests, etc. I came across one one day and discovered it was very soothing. They're very visual and lively. I find them on the National Geographic Channel. As dull as it sounds, I watched a 2-hour documentary on the Great Barrier Reef and I really enjoyed it. There is a narrator but the screen is constantly on the subject, it never cuts away to anything (other than commercials). That might hold your mom's attention as the cinematography can be breathtaking.
I'm sure you're going to get a lot of great ideas. Come back and tell us how it went!
She enjoys folding towels and pillow cases, although it does tend to tire her out after just a few. If she has the extra energy and wants to stay busy, I (behind her back) unfold a few and give them to her.
One major activity which is also a huge help to me is shredding of mail. I save my junk mail in a plastic garbage bag and when it's full, sit her down in front of the tv with the shredder next to her and let her shred away. It's not labor intensive but keeps her busy and she can see the progress she's making as the bag gets emptier. I need to stay close by as occasionally she jams it, but otherwise it keeps her occupied and feeling like she's accomplishing something, which she really is. Also it's something I can't stand doing myself! Also, there are a ton of old documents at her house that need to be shredded, so she'll be keeping busy from here to eternity.
If you aren't familiar with shredders, I got an Amazon brand one on Amazon dot com and it's very simple to operate, cross-cut (which is better than straight cut) AND best of all was I think around $99.00.
Good luck, I hope this helps.