I really want my grandmother to branch out--and to cut back the TV! Has anybody solved this problem?

How old is Gramma, Rainbow? If she is a grandmother that means she raised at least one child. Did she do it watching tv all day? Did she have maids? Nannies? Housekeepers? Apparently she did not have a paying job. But I think it is naive and disrespectful to assume she never accomplished anything.

Sometimes I feel a little guilty about all the time I spend sitting around reading. And then I remember that sitting around reading is exactly what I always hoped I could do in retirement. If someone assumes that I am depressed because I have my nose in a book so much, they are quite wrong.

Maybe your grandmother is depressed. If so, as you know it is hard for her to take the initiative to make improvements. So it is kind of you to make suggestions and offer encouragement. But I think that she has to at least accept that change is desirable before anything can improve. If she is satisfied watching television, I don't think there is a lot you can do to change that.

My mother watches TV all day long. She has for 20 years now. Actually she watched TV mornings, nights, and weekends when I was a kid. It makes me feel guilty, like I should be providing her with company or something to do. The problem there is I hate the programs she watches -- game shows and old reruns -- and can't sit still for more than 5 minutes. She is also very unpleasant to talk to because she doesn't hear well and I have to shout over the TV. She starts coming up with tasks for me right away, then starts finding fault in me in about 5 minutes. To keep sanity I have to keep time together short.

I offer options on things to do. Her answer is that she is old and watching TV is what she wants to do. My father and she rarely talked and didn't have much to do with each other, so maybe TV has always been her main friend. It's sad, but I can't let myself feel guilty about what she chooses for herself.

A really sad thing is that she prefers the TV to having real interactions with people. This is a very lonely house for both of us.

Agree 100 percent sue 888

My mom is 79 and lives in a continuing care community. I can't tell you how many activities they have available. You could stay busy all day long. She has her own apartment and gets up late, watches TV all day while napping off and on and goes down to dinner at 5:00 with a group of women. Dinner is the highlight of her day. I have tried over and over to get her involved in activities or the trips they offer but she just isn't interested. One day she told me "I guess I'm just lazy and you're hyperactive".
I finally realized that this is what SHE wants and I'm just going to have to live with it. The first 18 months after my dad passed she lived with us and like Erinm60 said, it was frustrating because she spent her day in our living room and we had to hear her shows all day. I still get sick to my stomach when I hear Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy come on TV:)
If you think it's depression go with her to her doctor and have her talk to him. Maybe medication will help. If it's just her personality and she's doing what she's been doing for 40 years, let it go. It was hard for me to let it go but as my husband reminded me, my mom has always spent most of her life sitting around watching TV. Why would she change now?
Your grandma is lucky to have such a caring granddaughter.

Rainbow, Grandmother had no goals? What about the child or children she had raised? Right there is over 18 years of one's life or more depending on how many years there are between children. That's a lot of work.

We need to remember as we age we do tend to become tired quicker. I noticed a huge change from when I was in my 50's to now being in my early 70's. Half my energy disappeared and I can't find it. And here at one time I was a gym rat.  It's just part of aging. And here I was dealing with my parents who were in their mid-to-late 90's.

And some of us have lost our friends, either they moved to be closer to their own elderly parents, or they had passed away. Some of us don't really care for driving any more, too much road rage, or the fear of the driver behind you is too busy on their cellphone. Modern technology has become too complicated. Heck I still have my flip phone [I realize some younger people may not know what type of phone that is].

I still have my career and that gives me a reason to get up in the morning to get ready for work. It has been my saving grace. I also do volunteer work on Saturday at a hospital, but I started that over 20 years ago.

Walking is the best thing to do, if the person can tolerate it. Like early morning when it isn't so hot. But walk with her, as some of us don't like walking alone [I don't]. My folks using to walk 2 miles a day when they were in their 80's. Start out a short walk. Can grandmother's dog walk more than 15 minutes, if so, the dog would enjoy a change of pace with 2 or 3 walks each day.

If the weather is bad, and there is a mall nearby, some malls have early morning walking time before the stores open up. You can "window shop" :)

Hi RainbowPrism. How old is your grand ma? My 79 year old mother watches news about 14 hours a day. She and I walk our dogs nightly. 15 minutes to a half hour. She will not change the channel She has dementia. Pretty sure she has Alzheimer's. Shes on aricept ( generic) and was recently prescribed an antidepressant. I asked her last night if she's bored. She said no. She's content watching tv. She lives with me. She does enjoy doing laundry . She calls no one. Has 1 friend who she used to see twice a week for an hour and a half. He drove. Well that's down to once a month. I'm no where near her age. I have no clue if that's how most 80 year olds spend their day. It is frustrating for my husband , daughter and me because she's in our family room. Not her room. So we have no access to the kitchen with out hearing Fox News.