I am a caregiver for a 92 year old woman who lives with her daughter. She is very lonely, most of her friends have passed. She is losing her eyesight, has difficulty hearing and is afraid of walking in case she falls (I can understand that). What can I do with her to bring "fun" and purpose back to her?
were not perfect , we learn as we go ..
One option is explore ways to get her hearing restored with an Ear, Nose and Throat MD or audiologist.
Another is to check out COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES, simple but overlooked ways she can improve her listening skills with or without heating aids and help the people in her life to help do the same.
Lastly, it always helps enormously to have a friend or two who has hearing loss. If there are no people in her community, check out if there is a local chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America nearby: www.hearingloss.org. Their leaders members can give her the support she needs.
I have an amplified phone that I got for my dad and it helps a lot. Another option is a phone with a speaker phone capability. The best thing I ever bought for my parents was a companion chair. It can be folded up and kept in the trunk (which I do all of the time). I have taken my parents to malls, parks, restaurants, and museums with that chair. With hearing loss, concerts would be great, as they're usually loud. Find some local groups or even nursing homes/independent living places that are putting on performances and see if you can take your client to listen. See if you can find a military band or high school band, as the horns are loud, LOL. Get her near a church choir that she could listen to, or a Sweet Adelines group or Barbershop Quartet singing old songs. Fall festivals or farmers' markets are great, using the companion chair. All of that takes a bit of research, but it you put it out there and ask around, I'm sure you can find things to take her to.
The above are great ideas. One person wrote in for me to find an older dog. One that he could love....i might get one for my dad (age 96)...he does get a pedicure
once a month, ...churches have wonderful activiites....walking the mall for exercise in the morning just before the mall opens,......i started my dad on
Solitare with large printed faces and he is seeming to like it....but he has trouble with his sight, so I am usually nearby to help with the game.....
Wish I knew more of what to do...i also am trying...Just know they like routines and just want to feel needed.....
One thing that helps my mother is that she has an amplified phone. I don't know how much hearing loss your client has, but she may be able to engage her family on the phone. My mother used to talk to her sister for an hour at a time before the sister died. It helped her a lot.
There are so many things that can still be done when vision and hearing start to fail. Laundry and dishes are two things that others have mentioned. I'm sure there are many other things. Maybe your client will give you some clues about the things she would like to do.