I have been working on ways to entertain my mom, not only during visits, but also when I am not at the Assisted Living Facility. I purchased the Simple Music Player and loaded her favorite songs. Wow, what an amazing addition. She can play the songs without me assisting her. She looks out over a garden area and I also purchased colorful windmills (inexpensive and just pushed into the ground). It was amazing how the spot of color a movement has entertained her. Placemats with butterflies, flowers and bunny rabbits. She talks about them every visit. So, engaging the senses with color, sounds, smell and textures can make the visits wonderful but also give her great pleasure when she is alone. Thank you for all of the advice. It has made a significant difference in her life.
The one sense I could always stimulate was her sense of smell. She could always tell when I brought her a chili relleno combination plate from the local Mexican restaurant, and that brightened her day more than anything. :-)