Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Activities for a older blind man? (self.Blind)
submitted by Naturaldisaster1992
Hey guys,my grandfather recently lost his vision and unfortanatly also his wife. Now that he is in a nursing home he gets a bit bored during the day now. I was wondering if you guys know of any activities for him. Hes 88 and always enjoyed working with his hands, ive thought of audiobooks and prehaps knitting this far. Any tips are welcome!
Terry_Pie 5 points 5y ago
He's probably more limited by the fact he's in a nursing home. There are nursing homes that have personal or shared garden spaces, so if he's in one of those, gardening is a good idea.
An easy to use digital radio is a must (my grandfather, who turns 92 this December, listens to a lot of radio, primarily AFL and cricket, but will listen to other sports if they're on). Other audio entertainment like audio books are also an option.
What were his hobbies before he moved into the nursing home or lost his sight? My grandfather always wished he'd got a model railway together after he and grandma moved out of their house (grandma died three years back now, and she had Alzheimer's so I understand the position your grandfather is in). They moved into independent living units, my grandpa had had model trains for a few decades before they moved, but he gave his stuff to myself and my uncle and didn't set anything up after they moved - which was almost 10 years ago now - and he regrets that decision and feels like it's too late to start now.
Music is also another good option. Again, my grandpa used to play the organ. He kept it when they moved, but I don't think he plays any more. (He had marked up the keys with masking tape to help him find different notes etc).
An easy to use digital radio is a must (my grandfather, who turns 92 this December, listens to a lot of radio, primarily AFL and cricket, but will listen to other sports if they're on). Other audio entertainment like audio books are also an option.
What were his hobbies before he moved into the nursing home or lost his sight? My grandfather always wished he'd got a model railway together after he and grandma moved out of their house (grandma died three years back now, and she had Alzheimer's so I understand the position your grandfather is in). They moved into independent living units, my grandpa had had model trains for a few decades before they moved, but he gave his stuff to myself and my uncle and didn't set anything up after they moved - which was almost 10 years ago now - and he regrets that decision and feels like it's too late to start now.
Music is also another good option. Again, my grandpa used to play the organ. He kept it when they moved, but I don't think he plays any more. (He had marked up the keys with masking tape to help him find different notes etc).
Naturaldisaster1992 [OP] 2 points 5y ago
Yea the fact that he is in a nursing home indeed limits his options. Gardening was not a option in the nursing home,but here in the netherlands we have some 'public gardens' where it could be done,however it seems a pretty hard activity without vision.
Before his hobbys were gardening, helping out at the cemetery and doing all sorts of jobs in and round the house. He also quite enjoyed music and was in a (highschool like for the us) 'fanfare' band were he also played with instruments. This indeed could be a nice option,have to figure out what he would enjoy playing and then i could look for whats possible in that respect.
And thank you for sharing the story of your grandfather! As for the moddeling i would go with the creed better late then never. Also thanks for the detailed response, wish you and your grandfather the best of luck!
Before his hobbys were gardening, helping out at the cemetery and doing all sorts of jobs in and round the house. He also quite enjoyed music and was in a (highschool like for the us) 'fanfare' band were he also played with instruments. This indeed could be a nice option,have to figure out what he would enjoy playing and then i could look for whats possible in that respect.
And thank you for sharing the story of your grandfather! As for the moddeling i would go with the creed better late then never. Also thanks for the detailed response, wish you and your grandfather the best of luck!
Terry_Pie 4 points 5y ago
My grandpa has been totally blind since before I was born (I'm 30 next year), and that didn't stop him from gardening. He still gardens now where he is, just not as much. The thing is you have to know the layout and put markets in that you can follow (my grandpa has poles with string lines set up alone the edge of the garden bed where it isn't lined).
But that, plus continuing volunteer work etc, is limited by being in a nursing home because I assume he can't come and go as he pleases? If he can, then I'm sure you could find him some suitable volunteer work.
Edit: Obviously if your grandpa has lost his sight more recently/suddenly, it is no doubt much harder to adjust. My grandpa having RP (which is where I get it from), which is a degenerative disease, allowed him to develop the familiarity and learn how to operate with vision impairment then total blindness over time.
But that, plus continuing volunteer work etc, is limited by being in a nursing home because I assume he can't come and go as he pleases? If he can, then I'm sure you could find him some suitable volunteer work.
Edit: Obviously if your grandpa has lost his sight more recently/suddenly, it is no doubt much harder to adjust. My grandpa having RP (which is where I get it from), which is a degenerative disease, allowed him to develop the familiarity and learn how to operate with vision impairment then total blindness over time.
Naturaldisaster1992 [OP] 2 points 5y ago
The way you put it and further explained by /u/Terry_pie makes me hopeful this can work,i am definitely going to try it with him. I talked a bit with him about it already, at first he was hesitant but he is willing to try it once we found a place.
As for volunteer work,he can come and go as far as i know. (We also pick him up some times to go out) so that also would be an option, indeed we would have to look for something which he can still manage to do! However i have enough ideas to work with at the moment ;D
Again i thank you alot! wish you a nice weekend!
As for volunteer work,he can come and go as far as i know. (We also pick him up some times to go out) so that also would be an option, indeed we would have to look for something which he can still manage to do! However i have enough ideas to work with at the moment ;D
Again i thank you alot! wish you a nice weekend!
vwlsmssng 5 points 5y ago
There should be lots of ideas if you look at a shop for blind people. $1.
You can probably find all these items in other countries.
A watch he can use, either tactile or talking, would help him keep track of the time and days of the week.
An accessible radio would give him topical and novel content to listen to, Radio 4 in the UK or, I guess, NPR in the USA.
If you don't know about it, the $1 standard for talking books and players could be of interest.
Helping him be independently mobile would also be important, so having a cane and being trained to use could be useful to him.
Similarly having an accessible mobile phone will help him keep in touch with friends and family.
Gardening may also be a hobby still open to him.
I'm guessing that at 88 the computer revolution has passed him by.
You don't says if grandfather has no vision at all or is partially sighted.
You can probably find all these items in other countries.
A watch he can use, either tactile or talking, would help him keep track of the time and days of the week.
An accessible radio would give him topical and novel content to listen to, Radio 4 in the UK or, I guess, NPR in the USA.
If you don't know about it, the $1 standard for talking books and players could be of interest.
Helping him be independently mobile would also be important, so having a cane and being trained to use could be useful to him.
Similarly having an accessible mobile phone will help him keep in touch with friends and family.
Gardening may also be a hobby still open to him.
I'm guessing that at 88 the computer revolution has passed him by.
You don't says if grandfather has no vision at all or is partially sighted.
Naturaldisaster1992 [OP] 1 points 5y ago
Heyy thank you for the detailed response! The RNIB website defenitly have some items wich could be very usefull! He already has a radio wich he has on the whole day. A watch would be nice indeed aswell, ill look into that!
My mother is trying to find him some guidance on a practical level. However with the cutbacks here in the netherlands its not that easy though. For the DAISY project it seems its for english users though,will look if there is anything simmilar in dutch! He enjoyed gardening a lot when he was still living on his own! So that would be great, however i think this is pretty hard without vision? Computers have indeed went by him though.
At the moment he lost pretty most all vision btw,sometimes he sees some vague things that resemble 'shapes' when he has his yellow ski glasses on.
Again thanks for the detailed response though, this defenitly gave me some ideas to work with :)
My mother is trying to find him some guidance on a practical level. However with the cutbacks here in the netherlands its not that easy though. For the DAISY project it seems its for english users though,will look if there is anything simmilar in dutch! He enjoyed gardening a lot when he was still living on his own! So that would be great, however i think this is pretty hard without vision? Computers have indeed went by him though.
At the moment he lost pretty most all vision btw,sometimes he sees some vague things that resemble 'shapes' when he has his yellow ski glasses on.
Again thanks for the detailed response though, this defenitly gave me some ideas to work with :)
vwlsmssng 2 points 5y ago
vwlsmssng 3 points 5y ago
/u/Terry_Pie has a good point about gardening where he talks about $1 so his grandpa can find where he is.
If you want to help him with gardening the key things (as with much design for people) are affordances, constraints and feedback.
The stings laid to to mark the edges and other lines of the garden are a good example of **constraints**.
**Affordances** are anything that make it easier to do the right action, for example a water can is easier than a hose to put the right amount of water in the right place.
**Feedback** tells you when you have done the right or wrong thing. Having plants with distinct leaf shapes or textures will make it easier to tell them apart from weeds. Plants that produce sweetly scented flowers will let you know when your garden is growing well.
Think about these design principles when helping your grandfather with gardening or anything else.
The next thing to remember is that a blind person can do many more things when a sighted person works with them as part of a team. So if you or a carer at the home can give your grandfather some a little assistance he can then do so much more once the basics are set up and he is shown where things are. Grandfather could then teach you a few things about gardening.
$1 has a section of their website is for blind and partially sighted gardeners.
If you want to help him with gardening the key things (as with much design for people) are affordances, constraints and feedback.
The stings laid to to mark the edges and other lines of the garden are a good example of **constraints**.
**Affordances** are anything that make it easier to do the right action, for example a water can is easier than a hose to put the right amount of water in the right place.
**Feedback** tells you when you have done the right or wrong thing. Having plants with distinct leaf shapes or textures will make it easier to tell them apart from weeds. Plants that produce sweetly scented flowers will let you know when your garden is growing well.
Think about these design principles when helping your grandfather with gardening or anything else.
The next thing to remember is that a blind person can do many more things when a sighted person works with them as part of a team. So if you or a carer at the home can give your grandfather some a little assistance he can then do so much more once the basics are set up and he is shown where things are. Grandfather could then teach you a few things about gardening.
$1 has a section of their website is for blind and partially sighted gardeners.
Naturaldisaster1992 [OP] 1 points 5y ago
Sorry for the late response guys, was a bit caught up with some stuff,but i defenitly apprieciate it alot!
For the dedicon, my mum found out about that already and is trying to contact them. As for the gardening, your explanation makes me very curious to try that out with him. It sounds very reasonable and doable. We are currently looking for a 'public garden' were he could practice this. I think it would make him alot more happy, he always liked to work in the garden when he still had his sight.
So again thank you for your detailed responses :) !! It defenitly will make a difference in how he is feeling.
For the dedicon, my mum found out about that already and is trying to contact them. As for the gardening, your explanation makes me very curious to try that out with him. It sounds very reasonable and doable. We are currently looking for a 'public garden' were he could practice this. I think it would make him alot more happy, he always liked to work in the garden when he still had his sight.
So again thank you for your detailed responses :) !! It defenitly will make a difference in how he is feeling.
Amonwilde 5 points 5y ago
Audiobooks are a great choice. Woodworking if they'll let him.
Naturaldisaster1992 [OP] 2 points 5y ago
Woodworking sounds great,however they unfortanatly dont have an option to do this at his nursing home..
Edit* however i forgot that he has an hour per week to work with his hands,unfortanatly this only last for 9 more times and then the class is over
Edit* however i forgot that he has an hour per week to work with his hands,unfortanatly this only last for 9 more times and then the class is over
tux_greyhat 3 points 5y ago
I wonder if Amazon's Alexa (a voice controlled assistant) would be good. You can ask it questions such as "Alexa, what time is it?" or "Alexa, what's the weather like?".
Naturaldisaster1992 [OP] 1 points 5y ago
Well hes dutch and speaks better german then english, a version of that would be great indeed though :)
bradley22 2 points 5y ago
Hi.
I'd recommend something like geomag or magnet toys. here's the geomag page so you can take a look at it. https://www.geomagworld.com/en/
Geomag is marbles and little stick like things that you can put together to build shapes with. You can build 2 d, (flat) shapes and 3d shapes (shapes that are raised above the groundd.) I hope this helps.
I'd recommend something like geomag or magnet toys. here's the geomag page so you can take a look at it. https://www.geomagworld.com/en/
Geomag is marbles and little stick like things that you can put together to build shapes with. You can build 2 d, (flat) shapes and 3d shapes (shapes that are raised above the groundd.) I hope this helps.
Naturaldisaster1992 [OP] 1 points 5y ago
My pc at work cant quite handle the website properly,i will get back to it once i am home! My family allready thought of prehaps making our own boardgames for him but this would be so much easier. I thank you sir for thinking along :)
bradley22 2 points 5y ago
It's no problem.
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