Lots of people enjoy having a ‘fidget’ blanket nearby. They have lots of different things experiment with. Look on Amazon in the special needs section.
How is she presenting with her mild dementia? It is different for everyone. What type of things is she able to do and not do? What does she like to do, etc.?
"... I gave up my job to help care for my mom who has severe hearing loss and early dementia. She lives with me full time because she had extreme paranoia..."
Also, what is "the same old stuff" that you're doing now?
You can play games that engage her other senses, like a simple kid's matching cards (not too many cards) with animals on it, or filling paper bags with fragrant spices and see if she can guess what they are; or putting textural items in paper bags and having her feel them and try to guess what she's touching.
She can do "purposeful" tasks like folding lots of towels (when she's done just jumble them up and have her do it again), or sorting and pairing multicolored socks; sorting plastic utensils, or nuts from bolts, or pairing nuts with bolts; cutting old t-shirts into rags; doing kid's wooden puzzles; or cutting/slicing fruits & vegetables. Balloon volleyball; tabletop "hockey" with a pingpong ball and straws; kick a very large rubber ball back and forth... Hope some of these ideas are helpful.
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"... I gave up my job to help care for my mom who has severe hearing loss and early dementia. She lives with me full time because she had extreme paranoia..."
Also, what is "the same old stuff" that you're doing now?
You can play games that engage her other senses, like a simple kid's matching cards (not too many cards) with animals on it, or filling paper bags with fragrant spices and see if she can guess what they are; or putting textural items in paper bags and having her feel them and try to guess what she's touching.
She can do "purposeful" tasks like folding lots of towels (when she's done just jumble them up and have her do it again), or sorting and pairing multicolored socks; sorting plastic utensils, or nuts from bolts, or pairing nuts with bolts; cutting old t-shirts into rags; doing kid's wooden puzzles; or cutting/slicing fruits & vegetables. Balloon volleyball; tabletop "hockey" with a pingpong ball and straws; kick a very large rubber ball back and forth... Hope some of these ideas are helpful.