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My dad is 87 and doing great! Lost his wife last November 2011. I'm his POA and the one who is making sure he has meals and outings. He drives his new 4 wheel drive truck! My dad worked in construction for 30 years, so often I go over and he has moved all his furniture around! I'm talking a sleeper sofa! At first I totally freaked out but he said he has to keep his strength up. wow! Anyway, I work full time so I go to dinner with him on Friday nights, have him over on sunday for dinner and Wednesday night we go to play a bingo type game at a club. But he needs a hobby. He doesn't read much, 8th grade graduate. I just want to know of a hobby that he would like doing. He has a defib so can't be around electronics. Any ideas? I thought about model cars but he said no. Also no to puzzles. He keeps watching old videos of their vacations. I think it would be kind of depressing for him but he likes watching them. Thanks for listening.

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gowest, has your dad told you that he is bored? If he hasn't, chances are that he is content doing the things that he is doing. If he is bored, maybe he would like to keep company with people at a senior center if you have one in the area. There are many activities at senior centers. They play cards and other games, have dances, or go on trips together. Many seniors enjoy the company of others their own age. Some of them even find romantic interests, which always adds a little spark to life. Talk to your dad and see if he would be interested. He might enjoy it.
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oh, ps, one of he things we did was give him all the family pics, and asked him to scan them, catalogue them, and date them. he has spent hours and hours and hours doing this, plus it is his past, so he thoroughly enjoys it. he spends ages making cd's, usb sticks, dropbox files of family pics. if your dad keeps watching vacation movies, maybe he would find something like this therapeutic and fun?
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What about a gym/health club? Maybe there is one for seniors? Just so it isn't one of those where they do chair exercises. Does he enjoy baseball? the season is starting and HS are already playing?
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Does he bowl? The senior center may know of (or even sponsor) a Senior bowling league. (He might want a lighter ball than he used to use.)

Has he ever collected anything? Salt & pepper shakers, glasses with beer logos on them, key chains with state names on them, etc? Would he get a kick out of taking his truck around to garage sales and estate sales and antique stores to find this items?

Might he get a kick out of learning to knit? Or to whittle?

I kind of think, though, that when I'm pushing 90 I might just want to relax and give up most of my hobbies, not acquire new ones! If he isn't bored, make suggestions but don't push too hard.
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Hey gowest222, the older they are, the faster they need to mourn and get on with living. Absolutely NO Disrespect intended. If he is that healthy, he needs a companion. If the last wife was not your Mother, then faster still. Lol. Am I bad?
I lost my precious Dad when I was 21, and if it were him we were speaking of, I would give him my permission and Blessing. You are a lucky daughter:) xo
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since he still drives, maybe going to a senior center or helping widowed senior ladies. Look up the program seniors helping seniors. He could go to the ladies homes and help them do small repairs and things in their homes.
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Hmmm? A Handy Dandy Fix it Honey. Get him a new tool belt! xo
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Pet Rescue Saga. (I am kidding) If you aren't familiar with facebook games, it is one of those addictive ones that goes on and on and wants you to spend money to get extra lives.

Would he like a small pet, though?
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No she wasn't my mom and didn't include us in their family picnics, ect. Although her family now that she is gone they have been very kind and invited us! So although I feel bad for him I have my dad back!
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my fil tinkers as well, doesn't read much either, not one for socialising, and although he used to have animals, hates our cats and is constantly kicking them away. we give him something to do everyday, eg: he surfs the internet all day, so we give him 'things' to research, eg: which universities offer the courses my daughter wants to sign up for, comparing prices of items across a few web sites. we give him small jobs to fix, eg: fixing the doorbell, or changing the lightbulbs. my husband has two 'technical' projects going with him - one is a water project for moniotoring the irrigation in the garden - and he has been tinkering with that for 'launching' in spring, ( if the sun ever returns). they have a 'meeting' at night, fil feedbacks his progress that day, and hubby gives him his 'tasks' for the next day. he potters on these things for a few hours a day, seems to work in our situation.
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