David, I can't help but want you to know your post is on the net and I hope
someone will be along soon to give you some suggestions.
Gwen

We are trying think of new activities that my father (who has
relatively advanced alzheimers but is still at home) can do to pass
the time.  These past few years we have had him do various things that
made him feel useful or at least involved him with things for a
while.  More and more though he just seems to sit and do nothing..
which  makes him quite anxious...   TV does not interest him...  and
he doesn't seem able to pay attention enough to read...
    The things that we have had him do in the past was to polish
brass objects. .., (we would tarnish them with ammonia overnight so
that they needed polishing again)..,   do jigsaw puzzles (he is only
able to do ones with 100 pieces now).., pull weeds out of the yard...,
sort coins (putting the state quarters into one of those maps held his
interest for a while) ...  These were great for a while but he seems
to be losing interest in them...
We understand that his lessening interest or ability to do things
involves " the natural progression of the disease" but we (the family)
often talk about how wonderful it would be if there was just something
that he could do easily (he is pretty weak physically) that might be
new and interesting enough that it would occupy him and help him pass
the time...
 Do any of you have any ideas about things that work for you...
Thanks  David

My father is always in need of tasks and activities to keep him busy.  I
could really identify with your post.  In fact, you've given me another that
will work for him .... the polishing brass objects.  He's become a bit
compulsive and he will polish his flat ware for the longest time before
eating.  Has to get every spot off of them.

My father is still at home also.  He has bird feeders in the yard that he
keeps filled.  In the summer it's hummingbird feeders and in the winter
feeder trays for seed.  Now he gets his seasons mixed up and he will take
down all of the hummingbird feeders and put up his trays and a week later
reverse that process.    It's a small task but his chair sits in view of all
the feeders so he can enjoy the birds come.  Although, he doesn't focus on
the birds actually eating there as much as he use to.

Another task he is in charge of is re-charging batteries.  We buy tons of
batteries and bring them to him to put in his two charging devices and he
has a tester that he checks them to see if they are ready.  Sometimes he
tosses them out because they don't test "good".   We don't know if they are
actually bad or he just couldn't test them.  Either way, he feels like he's
accomplished something.  He has about 15 flashlights now and he checks them
out every day and makes sure they are places for easy access throughout his
home.

He has a wood working shop where he use to build all sorts of things ...
even built us all grandfather clocks at one time.  Anyway, he can't remember
how to actually do any wood working but he will spend a lot of time out
there straightening up and cleaning his work benches.   He did build all the
feeder trays for his birds last year.  He keeps good twine out there so he
can re-string them as needed.

It's hard to give them things to make them feel useful.  As each year
progresses he can do fewer things.  I hate this disease!

Good luck & thank you for your post ....  Barbara H

<snip>

David - here's a post Evelyn sent to me about a year ago.  It has lots of
ideas.

Hi Barbara,

This is a list that someone posted here a long time ago, of things to do
with an alzheimers patient.   I found that my mother in law may have
forgotten how to cook, but she loved helping me cut up vegetables for
homemade soup or for dinner or whatever.   She needed me to tell her what to
do, but she did it fine for quite a long time into her illness.   Anyway,
here's the list, and I hope there are some helpful suggestions there for
you.

**********

101 Things to do with a Person with Alzheimers'

1. Clip coupons

2. Sort poker chips

3. Count tickets

4. Rake leaves

5. Use the carpet sweeper

6. Read out loud

7. Bake cookies

8. Look up names in the phone book

9. Read the daily paper out loud

10. Ask someone with a child to visit

11. Listen to Polka music

12. Plant seeds indoors or out

13. Look at family photographs

14. Toss a ball

15. Color pictures

16. Make homemade lemonade

17. Wipe off the table

18. Weed the flower bed

19. Make cream cheese mints

20. Have a spelling bee

21. Read from the Reader's Digest

22. Fold clothes

23. Have a friend visit with a calm pet

24. Cut pictures out of greeting cards

25. Wash silverware

26. Bake homemade bread

27. Sort objects by shape or color

28. Sing old songs

29. "Tell me more" when they talk about a memory

30. Put silverware away

31. Make a Valentine collage

32. Play favorite songs and sing

33. Take a ride

34. Make a cherry pie

35. Read aloud from Ideals magazine

36. Play dreidels

37. Make a basket of socks

38. Take a walk

39. Reminisce about 1st day of school

40. String Cheerios to hang outside for birds

41. Make a fresh fruit salad

42. Sweep the patio

43. Color paper shamrocks green

44. Fold towels

45. Have afternoon tea

46. Remember great inventions

47. Play Pictionary

48. Paint a sheet

49. Cut out paper dolls

50. Identify states and capitals

51. Make a family tree poster

52. Color a picture of our flag

53. Cook hot dogs outside

54. Grow magic rocks

55. Water house plants

56. Reminisce about the first kiss

57. Play horse shoes

58. Dance

59. Sing favorite hymns

60. Make homemade ice cream

61. Force bulbs for winter blooming

62. Make Christmas cards

63. Sort playing cards by their color

64. Write a letter to a family member

65. Dress in your favorite football team's color

66. Pop popcorn

67. Name the presidents

68. Give a manicure

69. Make paper butterflies

70. Plant a tree

71. Make a May basket

72. Make homemade applesauce

73. Finish famous sayings

74. Feed the ducks

75. Mold with play dough

76. Look at pictures in National Geographic

77. Put a puzzle together

78. Sand wood

79. Rub in hand lotion

80. Decorate paper placemats

81. Arrange fresh flowers

82. Remember famous people

83. Straighten out underwear drawer

84. Finish Nursery Rhymes

85. Make peanut butter sandwiches

86. Wipe off patio furniture

87. Cut up used paper for scratch paper

88. Take care of fish tank

89. Trace and cut out leaves

90. Ask simple trivia questions

91. Finish Bible quotes

92. Paint with string

93. Cut out pictures from magazines

94. Read classic short stories

95. Put coins in a jar

96. Sew sewing cards

97. Put bird feed out for the birds

98. Clean out a pumpkin

99. Reminisce about a favorite summer

100. Roll yarn into a ball

101. Make a birthday cake