need to get retired relatived hooked on addictive hobbies so they aren't so bored
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Anonymous
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I need to get elderly relatives hooked on addictive hobbies so they aren't so bored and calling me all the time when I'm at work.
Suggestions? I assume the obvious (Candy Crush) would have already worked if it was going to work. Need more strategy and subtlety |
Anonymous
| Encouraging them to research on AI chat bots could be fruitful. Especially if you can get them to speak to the chat bot. |
Anonymous
| Just don’t answer the phone. |
Anonymous
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Can you get them to go to a senior center and hang out with other seniors? Sometimes there's a transportation option to get them there. Making friends and being out and about is really the best way to get them enjoying their life.
Sometimes those centers (or churches, or neighborhood groups) take monthly trips or regular lunch outings or things like that. |
Anonymous
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puzzles
get them a garden plot somewhere send them a birding book with a life list get one of those "record your life story" kits, (monthly tasks in it) send them a box of old photos and a scrapbook and ask for "help" organizing it all into books. Get them an Ancestry.com account -- totally addictive. |
Anonymous
That doesn't solve the problem. |
Anonymous
Yes, these are so lovely! At least Fairfax, Montgomery, and Prince William have well established centers throughout the counties. |
Anonymous
| My grandpa took up stained glass, my dad took up canasta and shuffle pickle or something. Four Square? My grandma joined a board and played Mah Jong and got a book club going. |
Anonymous
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Schedule an uber to the senior center. My parents didn't want to go and figured it would be like 100 year olds eating applesauce while playing bingo. Nope! It was mostly 60-70s, very active seniors. They have lots of field trips, like a bus to see the cherry blossoms (we're in a suburb, but seeing the cherry blossoms is too hard when you can't park downtown/ they're too old for the metro).
They've made a lot of friends. They are in several gardening groups and their favorite part is making a dessert to bring to the group. My mom is a good cook, but the other attendees just praise her nonstop, so she looks forward to it. I know this won't work if your parents aren't nearby, but my parents plan activities with my kids. I don't use my parents as childcare (I pay for other care), but they have days where they pick up a kid afterschool and take them to do things. Like chess on Thursdays or baking. My dad loves being at pick up. I think it gives him a schedule that he was missing after he retired. Also, they are crazy about their dog. Dog lives a better life than most kids. It keeps them active walking the dog and playing with it. |
Anonymous
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My FIL got into Ancestry.com and wrote a lot of his findings down to share with family. Some library systems offer free access for card holders. He also researched local history, mostly from Civil War era, and made PowerPoints that he posted to YouTube. He actually got a few hundred views!
My dad uses Duolingo and has actually learned a decent amount of Spanish. |
Anonymous
| Do they have a church? The senior ministry at any reasonably sized church usually is doing all kinds of fun stuff. Like, I sometimes wish I could go! |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
| People love pickleball! |
Anonymous
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They are pretty active in genera, but the day is long when you arent somewhere all day.
I'm looking for things to keep them distracted when they are at home. |
Anonymous
| They are old, so they should know what kind of things they are into by now. What are they? We could then help you expand from there. Are they physically able to get out? drive? Are they together? Also, stop answering the phone. If it is an emergency, they will leave a message or call 911. |