FIL progressing. Activity suggestions welcome.

KawKaw

My FIL is experiencing more memory loss and lives less in the present.

He is generally very accommodating and gentle, which helps me tremendously.

He is often uncomfortable with confusion.  Sometimes, I think he does not know who I am exactly, but that I belong here.

With my mother with dementia, I was able to create projects that could keep her occupied enjoyably.

We strung large beads, did coloring, went through her old photos.

I am struggling to find appropriate activities for my FIL.

My FIL is not interested in house hold chores.  I tried a coin sorting project.  Nope.  He isn't interesting in folding laundry.

He is willing to help with tasks such as measuring windows for curtains.  My spouse got him to help with cleaning the garage a couple weeks ago.

He will go through military or WWI or WWII photograph encyclopedias happily, but seems to remember them too well to use them again.  Looking forward to libraries opening back up!

He enjoys zoo and veterinarian televisions programs.

He is not physically strong, very thin.

Any ideas for home based activities for such a person?

I am having difficulty judging his progression level.  Perhaps 3 or 4?  

Anyway, would be grateful for suggestions for activities to help occupy his mind and hands.

RobOT

Hi Kaw Kaw, glad to be hearing from you again.  Do you think your father-in-law might enjoy some social volunteering?  There are groups that put together kits and "goodie bags" for military people. shelter animals, homeless people and kids in the hospital, to name a few.  He could volunteer at a local garden or maybe even at an adult day care.

KawKaw

Thank you so much for the excellent suggestions!

We do have binoculars and he has been using them to look at the mountains nearby.

As it happens, we are planning on doing a little planting as spring arrives.  I have a small area enclosed by a gate where we can work and let the dogs mingle, which my FIL enjoys.

I will ask his advice since he has lived in the high desert for many years and might have suggestions for the best plants to include.

Everything here is still locked down to some extent, but day care might be an option.  If nothing else, I will get a vaccinated companion to spend a couple hours with him a few times a week after we have all been vaccinated.

I'm so grateful that his temperament has remained friendly and calm for the most part.

I am still hoping to move him from the family room to the room with an attached bathroom we prepared for him.  He seems to prefer sleeping in the family room on a couch.

I am hanging familiar pictures and photographs in the room, and when he showers it is here in "his" bathroom.

Small steps.