activities to pass time

Bobo59

I thought I'd mention an activity I used to give my DH to do. I found some colored wire connectors, marettes, keys in his garage organizer. I would set these out and give him a few plastic bowls to sort them into by color. He took it very seriously, struggling to match the colors. It also exhausted him and he would often nap afterward. I also liked to give him an assortment of his socks to pair up. Buttons are another option.

A year ago I was giving him very simple preschool dot to dot.I would pick these up at the dollar store and called I them his workbooks. Again, he was very serious working at them. He couldn't really do them correctly and I might coach him at times but it gave him something.

Bowerbird

I just wanted to add that my DH enjoys ripping up papers, so I collect my junk mail (and enlist my relatives to save theirs also). I separate the envelopes from the inner papers and put them all in a pile. I also add thin cardboard like cereal boxes and also softcover books you no longer want (or you can find them at thrift stores.). He places them in a shopping bag and when it gets full, it goes into the recycling.

This is one of the very few activities he participates in and he can do it whenever he thinks about it, so I don't have to be with him for him to do it.

Chance Rider

My father had been a plumbing contractor and had a shop full of pvc fixtures. He would sit and fiddle with the pipe fittings for hours “fixing” things. So far my husband is content watching tv all day/evening.

countrywife

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/75516/activities-to-pass-time

I love that it was meaningful for him and he took it seriously.

countrywife

My DH was diagnosed ALZ last fall and I’m assuming he’s somewhere in stage 4. He was never a puzzler but he’s been really good about putting 500 pc puzzles together this winter. The 1000 pc might take too long for him since the 500 pc can take a week or slightly more to finish. He watches TV, walks the dog, and is willing to try most things I ask of him. This week he shoveled gravel out of a pickup to put around our chicken coop. He’s not big on working in flower beds, etc, but I’d love his help this spring and summer if he’s willing. I’d love to come up with more things that seem to have meaning to him without my constant direction but that might not happen. This part of the disease is hard for me to watch. He’s never been one to just hang around the house - always knee deep in projects.