This may seem a weird request, but surely others face the same problem. G is always fussing with buttons, mechanical items (brakes on his walker) etc. I wonder if this is a left over from past days when he could never be still. Is there anything one could use in a lap to keep hands busy? Children's toys come to mind, but nothing there is the right thing. I think it would mellow him out to have something to keep his hands occupied. He just sits or lays down all day doing absolutely zero..TV if a program he likes is on (very seldom). I know it frustrates him as well as me, but he turns down all choices I give him.
Is he able to do anything on a computer? There are simple games that can keep him occupied for hours. Can he build with legos? Can he do puzzles - not big complicated jigsaw puzzles - simple ones? On the right side of the home page - www.thealzheimerspouse.com - I just put up an Amazon link to a book of activities for Alzheimer patients. Click the link to read about the book. If it sounds like something that could help you, you can order it from that link.
Kathi I know others have posted in the past about the items they bought for their spice. Maybe they will be along soon with suggestions. I think Mary and Divvi were ones that might have mentioned something along these lines.
I know it sounds ridiculous, but the battery powered toothbrush is the best thing. It keeps them from biting their nails, from scratching their skin until it bleeds, and from getting into mischief. The vibration is something that he needs, I don't know why. I've gone to Party City and gotten the toy that looks like a flashlight with a globe on the end of it and when you push the button, the center rotates and lights up. And vibrates in his hand. USA Drugs had some variations at their check-out counter. Taking them with him to the salon for haircuts now - he stays awake instead of falling asleep! The Hospice Hospital now asks us if we remembered his toothbrush!!! <grin> He has a couple of other "toys" that he enjoys as well. A rubber cylinder about 4 inches long and an inch wide with a lid on it...that he can't get off ...not for the lack of trying - for hours! He enjoys that too.
I gave him a key chain, but he lost interest in it quickly...they just need something to occupy their hands period...not their minds - they are past that point now.
The vibration is the key for continued holding. I keep a big supply of batteries for the toothbrush. "Try it and see"
Dh's favorite busy "toy" was greeting cards. He would spend hours looking at them and at times picking out words that he recognized. He enjoyed playing with cards. He didn't even need a full deck, in fact if he only had a dozen cards he would do something with them. I was never sure what he thought he was doing. I would think he was putting them in suits but then he'd mix them up. What ever he was doing he would sit at the table almost all day just moving them around. I also bought him a stuffed monkey that he loved to hold the last year. He'd caress it and talk to it. When ever I gave it to him, he'd get the biggest smile on his face. Another thing he enjoyed was large checkers he could stack. Not the small 1" ones because everything went into the mouth. I did try on small blanket that had different textures along with zippers and buttons and other things. That didn't work because he would pull the things off and put them in his mouth.
i agree with mary the vibrating things like toothbrushes and spin lighted up toys from party stores are the best. i cant say howmany we have gone thru. the battery operated toothbrushes can stimulate them to sleep! haha.. there is also a latch board with different types of latches at toysrus that you can latch -lock unlatch til your hearts content. those musical cards also held DH interst for a while too til he tore the battery out. can yo try lots of diffenent size nuts/bolts to try to put together or a flashlight that has several gadgits on it? i know inexpensive ones have alarms/radio/flashers etc. - divvi
I have noticed the Residents at the Daycare my husband attends, work Jig Saw puzzles from what looks like complicated to simple. I noticed a couple lady's working the find a work puzzles. My husband can't do any of that, however, they all seem content. Have you ever tried him in Daycare? Even though my husband can't participate, they do have activity's for the other residents.
Mine sits at the table and bangs it, like a kid waiting for his lunch in his highchair. The vibrating razor was a hit for awhile but he never took to the toothbrush. He likes to pick up stuff with chopsticks though (he's always been good at them). Small pieces of apple or orange. A knife if he can use it safely, to cut them. Right now he's carefully eating dried cheerios with chopsticks!
Kathi--someone here suggested a stress ball to help with the constant picking, etc. So I got a few--and gave them to him. He asked what they were, I said "stress balls" you squeeze and play with them. His response was "I don't have any stress". At this point, if I would give him a battery toothbrush to play with, he would think I'm a lunatic. I think the busyhands thing is a release of stress or anxiety; I asked our neuro about it--he said there's not much you can do. I wish there was!
Thanks to all of you...he isn't that far along the "path" for anything suggested..he does do jigsaw on the computer, but lately hasn't lasted too long with them. I keep thinking about the handheld games my grand-guys play with, but don't know if that would work either.As a retired dentist, if I gave him a battery operated tooth brush ...well..let's just say it wouldn't work. He uses one to brush his teeth. I fear we are the inbetween area for now..:-(
Kathi37, My uncle made things with construction paper, water colors, tissue..I was amazed and am amazed at the wonderful creative things people with memory impairment make. It is as though some creative bubble has been opened up. Perhaps something where he could draw or make interesting things with leggos might work.
My DH wipes stuff all the time, I mean with a vengeance, really goes at it... on the table, his clothes, always wiping at something... Having a conversation with him is mind bogging, not to mention distracting... When I ask that he stop long enough to hear me, he assures me that he heard every word but I know he heard nothing... He's long since lost the ability to concentrate on two things at a time...Any of you have this problem and could you share your solution.... Thanks
Peggy, I learned that if I first got dh's attention he would respond better. I didn't say "Let's go to the store." I would first call him by name and when he looked at me, I would ask if he wanted to go to the store. Just by getting him to look at me first seemed to help. His big thing was doing the dishes. He may have forgotten to use a dish cloth, soap or warm water, but he would wash every cup or glass that was sitting in the sink.
I do the same, Joyce. I try to make sure he is looking at me when I say something to him and I speak a little louder and a little slower. He also clears the table after every meal - in fact, he insists on it; he will rinse the dishes (too long and too well!), then put them in the dishwasher. He washes them so well, we really don't need to put them in the dishwasher!
Some postings lately on this and other threads have encouraged me to get dh doing more of the simple household things that he can do -- or could till recently. So he's drying dishes again and rinsing more. It has indeed been possible to get him to do more in the way of taking things to the kitchen, rinsing or washing dishes, setting and clearing the table, garbage etc. I found I had been doing almost everything myself just because it was easier and more efficient. Great to have all your reminders!
I have seen toys on sites such as the alzheimer's store that are designed to fill that exact need. www.alzstore.com has stuff like "fiddle twiddles" and "activity apron" which are simply busy hands thingies.