Contact the National Federation for the Blind to get recorded books free of charge - you will need to provide a letter (or fill out a form that they provide) with her doctor's signature and contact information, stating that he/she has severely impaired vision to qualify.
How about the service on tv that is similar for closed captioning for the deaf....it describes the action on the screen so they can follow the plot/action of the show.
My mother is 90, has macular and cannot see. I live with her and help her as much as I can. She gets bored, and nibbles constantly to keep her hands busy. She finally got used to her eReader, and now loves it. She could never select her own books from the catalog. I download her fav authors from the BARD website to her jump drive. A 16g drive can hold 20 books or so. I rotate them for her when she's done. Also Ive seen Humane societies bring small dogs into nursing homes for regularly scheduled visits. My mother would love that. I'd like more pet approved places provide that service Independent Living and Assisted Care Facilities. It helps all involved, including the dogs. I encourage her to walk the wonderfully decorated hallways or to ride her Jazzy, just to 'get out' and socialize. Mom used to crochet, but has so little feeling in her fingers, she can't feel the yarn anymore, but needs to do more with her hands besides eat and nibble. We're open to other suggestions.
I companion sit for a partially blind 93 year old lady. It is challenging finding activities for her to keep her from sleeping all the time. These are just a few I have come up with. I would love to hear any other suggestions. - wind yarn into balls (sometimes I take already wound balls and have her rewind them again since she can't see that they are already wound) - string large pony beads on a plastic lanyard (I have enough for 6-8 strands. Then I just take the beads off the lanyards so she can string them again) - I bring her out to the kitchen and set her at the kitchen table. I wash smaller, lighter dishes, measuring cups, plastic cups and bowls, etc. and place them on the table in front of her so she can dry them. We have a dishwasher but this gives her something to do. - I shake out clean hand towels and wash cloths and place them in a small laundry basket and have her fold them for me. This is great with fresh laundry I am doing. - I give her a dusting rag and have her dust knick knacky items from the living room and around the house. - I give her a stretch band and exercise ball to do leg, arm and hand exercises with.
My niece is very mobile and lost her job of 20 years cause the government decided they didn't want to sponsor the program any more. She is 58 and wants to work. Does anyone know of something for a blind person to do. She is willing to do volunteer work just to be with people. Thought of her joining a senior program but at a loss???
I work in a long term care facility and I too struggle with meaningful activities for the blind residents. Some things I do are polishing silver or brass, items to dust, cleaning baby dolls, folding laundry and since Easter is approaching we will fill plastic eggs with candy. Always seeking new ideas.
A few things that I have found both my blind father and a blind elderly client enjoy include doing crossword puzzles together- I read the clues out loud and they think of the words and doing a kind of scrabble together. For that game I bought some metal cookie sheets and letter magnets ( the kind you put on the fridge to help children spell) at the dollar store. They can feel the shapes of the letters and make words. It's fun for them and keeps their brains active.
my senior is living in an assisted living home. they have lots of activities for those who can see but very little for the blind. she is 98 so nothing that requires much movement or stress. she likes old country western songs. she doesnt like to be read to much except the newspaper. she is very smart. she likes jeopardy. help
Check your area senior resources for appropriate groups. I vaguely think my own city has activities for blind and low vision groups, but I'm sure each city is different. Our city also have a ride service. So, people who can't see to drive have a way to get to these events.
But for things to do at home: I had a blind aunt who knitted. I think she knitted before she went blind but I wonder if a simple knit stitch could be learned. She couldn't see her dropped stitches but was still able to donate her handiwork to make blankets for the local shelters, so it made her feel productive and didn't have to be perfect, either.
For the blind activities in a home, I'd suggest a drum class. I've been to my sighted mother's class and it's not like you have to watch the instructor. Everyone has a drum and does their own thing. They drum and sing along to favorite old songs. There are people in some communities that specialize in these types of drum classes and go to senior centers and homes.
Have a story teller or someone come in and read to them. Also, exercise or possibly yoga for the blind is very good (exercise is good for everybody). They might also bring in a massage therapist for chair massage or even a reflexologist for foot massage. My mother loves having her toenails and finger nails done, perhaps a manicurist to pamper them would work as well. A friend of mine works for a company that provides entertainment in the nursing homes. She is a belly dancer. Obviously this would not be for the blind, but they also offer all kinds of other things as well. They get paid by medicare so it's no out of pocket for the homes.
My blind mother is in a skilled nursing home. There are very few activities for blind residents. Other than going to concerts, do you have any ideas that I could pass on to the activities director?
My mother is legally blind and the gardening helps her a lot. Problems with this include the fact that we live in Georgia and it is HOT here and she can only go out early AM or late afternoon. I sleep in so no early AM.The fact that I have to go to the office some days & afternoon rains often spoil our fun so we are able to get out maybe 1 - 3 afternoons per week. It still gives her something to look forward to doing. She happily hoes on the weeds and chops down some of the vegetables in the process, but she does surprisingly well - she was raised on a farm and all the kids were required to work in the fields from the time they could walk, so it's second nature to her. Some communities have senior centers. Ours takes a 1.5 hour bus ride for my mother so it's not an option, but they have exercise programs, arts & crafts etc. for advanced elderly, dementia and Alzheimers patients. They even have a hairdresser come in sometimes to do their hair. The cost in our county is on a sliding scale. I only wish there was one closer. Check the web to see what's available in your area.
Noblu, check with your local librairies within comfortable driving distance. Not only do many of them have books for the blind (in our area at least) but in one section of the county some librairies have music programs. A few weeks ago I took my father to a fiddling concert. There were 3 people in a wheelchair there as well.
Some of the concerts include a range of music, including big band music.
Some United Methodist Churches also have free music programs on a weekly basis. In our area the one that has the most programs offers them at 7 at night.
If you like a particular group, check their website and see if their schedule includes other concerts. We follow the two fiddling groups we like and go to a few different places for their concerts.
I don't know if Senior Centers have activities that might be appropriate, but you could check the local community senior centers to see if they do.
Sometime ago I read of a program at a garden center for the vision impaired, but I don't remember where it was. The gardens were in raised beds; wheelchair patients could roll up, touch the herbs and enjoy the fragrance.
Here's an article on creating a garden for the visually impaired:
Even if you don't have any gardening space, you could create a small terrarium garden with herbs that your mother could rub, and perhaps clip for cooking.
There may also be an opportunity to start a project like these gardens in your community; doing some research might suggest potential partners, especially at a library, church or other community oriented facility.
I googled "vision impaired gardens"; you might find other hits that offer suggestions. Your profile doesn't indicate your location, so I can't tell if there might be any programs near you.
The blind associations may also have information on these kinds of gardens.
Even if your mother isn't able to garden, it would be an excursion out of the house, and the experience of touching fragrant herbs would be a mood elevator.
Thank you all. I'm looking for hands on activities, places or programs my mother can go to. I'm trying to get her out of sitting so much. She cant follow many TV shows but loves Family Feud. I wish there were Adult Day Care Centers that were specifically for blind/vision impaired participants. She enjoys going to music programs. I'm trying to think of more active things she could do out of the house or in a group setting.
Yes please, I'd like to be in on this comment thread. My parent is mostly blind, and has done books on tape in the past. Now, there are CD/DVD's and I hope they are less cumbersome to return -- that was her opinion then.
I have the same problem with my mother. She's legally blind.They send a special player with a memory stick and a catalog out regularly, although I've found that I seldom get the books I have ordered, usually it's at least in the same category. I had to be firm about no violence or sex. My mother likes teen age girl type stories. Go to www.loc.gov/nls to see what's available. Other than that she just sits bored to tears...
23 Answers
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
ADVERTISEMENT
Also Ive seen Humane societies bring small dogs into nursing homes for regularly scheduled visits. My mother would love that. I'd like more pet approved places provide that service Independent Living and Assisted Care Facilities. It helps all involved, including the dogs.
I encourage her to walk the wonderfully decorated hallways or to ride her Jazzy, just to 'get out' and socialize.
Mom used to crochet, but has so little feeling in her fingers, she can't feel the yarn anymore, but needs to do more with her hands besides eat and nibble.
We're open to other suggestions.
- wind yarn into balls (sometimes I take already wound balls and have her rewind them again since she can't see that they are already wound)
- string large pony beads on a plastic lanyard (I have enough for 6-8 strands. Then I just take the beads off the lanyards so she can string them again)
- I bring her out to the kitchen and set her at the kitchen table. I wash smaller, lighter dishes, measuring cups, plastic cups and bowls, etc. and place them on the table in front of her so she can dry them. We have a dishwasher but this gives her something to do.
- I shake out clean hand towels and wash cloths and place them in a small laundry basket and have her fold them for me. This is great with fresh laundry I am doing.
- I give her a dusting rag and have her dust knick knacky items from the living room and around the house.
- I give her a stretch band and exercise ball to do leg, arm and hand exercises with.
Scahlll, use the search function to search for similar answers, as this question is raised periodically. This might be a good start:
https://www.agingcare.com/search.aspx?searchterm=sources+for+books+for+the+blind
But for things to do at home: I had a blind aunt who knitted. I think she knitted before she went blind but I wonder if a simple knit stitch could be learned. She couldn't see her dropped stitches but was still able to donate her handiwork to make blankets for the local shelters, so it made her feel productive and didn't have to be perfect, either.
For the blind activities in a home, I'd suggest a drum class. I've been to my sighted mother's class and it's not like you have to watch the instructor. Everyone has a drum and does their own thing. They drum and sing along to favorite old songs. There are people in some communities that specialize in these types of drum classes and go to senior centers and homes.
Some communities have senior centers. Ours takes a 1.5 hour bus ride for my mother so it's not an option, but they have exercise programs, arts & crafts etc. for advanced elderly, dementia and Alzheimers patients. They even have a hairdresser come in sometimes to do their hair. The cost in our county is on a sliding scale. I only wish there was one closer. Check the web to see what's available in your area.
Some of the concerts include a range of music, including big band music.
Some United Methodist Churches also have free music programs on a weekly basis. In our area the one that has the most programs offers them at 7 at night.
If you like a particular group, check their website and see if their schedule includes other concerts. We follow the two fiddling groups we like and go to a few different places for their concerts.
I don't know if Senior Centers have activities that might be appropriate, but you could check the local community senior centers to see if they do.
Sometime ago I read of a program at a garden center for the vision impaired, but I don't remember where it was. The gardens were in raised beds; wheelchair patients could roll up, touch the herbs and enjoy the fragrance.
Here's an article on creating a garden for the visually impaired:
gardeningknowhow/special/accessible/visually-impaired-gardens.htm
Even if you don't have any gardening space, you could create a small terrarium garden with herbs that your mother could rub, and perhaps clip for cooking.
There may also be an opportunity to start a project like these gardens in your community; doing some research might suggest potential partners, especially at a library, church or other community oriented facility.
I googled "vision impaired gardens"; you might find other hits that offer suggestions. Your profile doesn't indicate your location, so I can't tell if there might be any programs near you.
The blind associations may also have information on these kinds of gardens.
Even if your mother isn't able to garden, it would be an excursion out of the house, and the experience of touching fragrant herbs would be a mood elevator.