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...
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.
Other possibilities might be finding and bringing in some old magazines and advertisements, and asking him what he knows about them.
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
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