I would love to know how to keep patients entertained in a nursing home setting. Ma Katie (my mother in law) is too mixed up to be able to do puzzles, bingo, dominos, etc. She just sits there so much when we aren’t there. I have bought her things like crossword search,
pop up books, etc. but they seem too hard for her.
Vicki
Dear Vicki,
Usually there is some programming that engages patients at the home where she stays, but even then, she may have between 4-6 hours during the day that need to be filled. It is so good of you to realize that and attempt to address her needs, especially the need she has to feel useful and purposeful.
Is she at all interested in coloring? A few ladies really like to color, and you can find amazing clip art to make coloring books. Try to find images that will remind her of things in the era she grew up in, or even patterns that she might have used for sewing, needlepoint or embroidery. Regular paper might be too flimsy, so try printing the pictures on cardstock so she can manage the paper better. This will also allow her to use markers (they can be larger for an easier grip by arthritic hands and will be easier for her to use). It is nice to provide something other than regular coloring books, as they tend to be targeted for children.
Inexpensive MP3 players with headphones are also a great tool, as you can download songs that she liked as a young person (take her date of birth, add 16-20 years and look for music from that era). If she loved any type of religious music, you can record that as well. Ask the nursing staff to put the headphones in her ears at specified times of day, and make sure they remember to remove it and put it in a safe place so that it is not lost. Often, even after someone has lost the ability to speak (though not everyone does) they will sing along with songs they knew and loved. Singing and tapping feet along with the music is very uplifting.
A great place to start looking for your mother-in-law’s favorite music are CD soundtracks from Memory Lane Media (Memorylanemedia.com, or free from Forest Pharmaceutical). It’s inexpensive and very engaging – the CD will also require someone to turn it on – and it is something you could start for her during your visit.
Family scrapbooks are also very good tools – try to write the name and place on every picture. Make certain to only use copies of photographs, as they can become damaged or lost in a nursing center. Your mother-in-law may not be able to initiate the use of the scrapbook, but if it is given to her, she can page through it and smile at the photographs – the older the photo, the better! Talk to her about who is in the picture, making sure not to “quiz” her and ask her if she knows who the subjects are.
These are just a few ideas. Hopefully as you begin to use these, it will give you more creative ideas, and the fun will grow as you see how the activities work. Remember, your mother-in-law may not be able to initiate activity, but she can still participate in many things!