suggestions needed for ailing elderly auntie

[grasswire]

Poor Auntie. Once a sort of bossy, hard-working yankee woman. Strong, determined, and very busy in useful activity.

Now she's pushing ninety. Healthy, but with macular degeneration. No more needlework. No more reading. No more *watching* television. No more being in charge of this and that at the elder residential neighborhood. No travel.

For a couple of weeks she has taken to just laying on her bed. Not going to the dining room. There's no physical reason.

Her sister lives in the same community, but they aren't real close. Auntie has grown children who visit her -- I don't live close enough to be there.

But I've wondered what could be done for someone when they lose enough sight to be deprived of meaningful activity. I remembered that she loves swing music and plan to get some CDs together. But what else?

Any thoughts?

[Critters2]

1. Books on tape. I have two parishioners with MD who "read"

all the time. As much as they did when they could see. They still attend a book club, too, and discuss the books with the others.

[MrScorpio]

2. Liquor... Take it from me, old ladies love liquor

"Candy is dandy, but liqour is quicker", baby!

[lligrd]

3. No Travel? Why Not?

Someone needs to get her out of that place every so often. Sunshine works wonders.

[grasswire]

4. I meant travel as in trips

She used to take Amtrak all over the country, by herself. No more.

[lligrd]

5. Needlework Might Be Difficult At First

But no reason she couldn't knit or garden. How about a guide dog? Is she allowed one? Never too old to take up something new, like learning braile. Check with your local deaf/blind centers. I know the Lighthouse even has computer classes for blind people that allow them to manage their finances and such. Send her some upbeat messages on tape and encourage her to discover what it is about life that keeps others without sight going.