Hands-On Project Ideas

[michelle]

My family has recently moved my grandfather into an assisted living home (small group home). It's very nice and still "up north".

We are looking for ideas of hands-on things my grandpa can do to keep himself busy, while also keeping his mind from coming up with the idea to take a walk right out of the house and into the woods. He has Alzheimer's.

The group home's only rule is that it doesn't have it's own power source for safety reasons. I'm looking for ideas on things I can bring him to work on, take apart, put back together, etc. He is a very mechanical type of guy and is used to working on something all the time. As of now, they are going to get a lot of split wood delivered and have my grandpa stack wood like he used to at his own house all the time. If a bear knocks it down, he'll be plenty busy and get some time outside.

Any other ideas?

[Silver350]

I would keep bringing him things he use to do. Before my grandmother passed away because of that illness. She enjoyed listening to music from the 40's and 50's and even though her memory was very poor at this point she still remember the words and enjoyed singing along to them.

[KidCougar]

Very sorry to hear about your grandfather, we just moved our Gma into a assisted living.But for your Gpa,does he like fishing? if so,get him those lure making kits depeding on well he can use his hands.

[team beater]

Model cars, widdle some of that wood, make dream catchers just some thoughts

[BR3W CITY]

My friends live in an apt building next to a retirement community in Steamboat, and a bunch of the old people hang out on the back porch and smoke weed all day, doesn't sound the worst. Model cars/planes/boats are a decent idea if he's into that, or those military or agricultural models?

[michelle]

I'll try some models. My mom's co-worker's husband works at Harley, so he is going to get some random stuff that he can take apart and put back together.

He really enjoys being outside, which is why the wood stacking idea is good because he'll be outside. Hard part is keeping him from walking away since he used to take long walks in the woods behind his own house (he kept a nice trail cut).

Thanks for the ideas so far! Appreciate it!

[lordairgtar]

If you get him some models, I would stay with the snap kit variety. Then he won't have to deal with glue unless he thinks he's up to it. Would be cool if you found models that replicated cars he owned. Snap kits generally are molded in color so he won't have to paint them. I don't know what the rules would be about spray paint and paint booth ventilation.

[TraceDaddy]

Build birdhouses?

[jbiscuit]

Give him something challenging. Not a snap-tite model. That will bore and probably insult him. When my grandpa got alzheimers he was sharp as a tack about certain things yet couldn't remember my sister's name lol. He got enjoyment out of building clock kits...they sell them. They have a million pieces, require concentration and precision and he loved it. I wouldn't know where to start but he cranked these things out. My mom has one of his grandfather clocks that he built and it's insanely nice. Probably took close to a year to assemble yet he looked forward to working on it every day. Just so you know, he didn't work on clocks or anything like that for his career.

[lordairgtar]

Give him something challenging. Not a snap-tite model. That will bore and probably insult him. When my grandpa got alzheimers he was sharp as a tack about certain things yet couldn't remember my sister's name lol. He got enjoyment out of building clock kits...they sell them. They have a million pieces, require concentration and precision and he loved it. I wouldn't know where to start but he cranked these things out. My mom has one of his grandfather clocks that he built and it's insanely nice. Probably took close to a year to assemble yet he looked forward to working on it every day. Just so you know, he didn't work on clocks or anything like that for his career.
I was thinking of rules of the facility as well. And if he's never built a model, snaps are perfect. My Lori builds them as she cannot use the glue as her hand shakes.

[Turbo-Triumph]

I suggest a model railroad train set. both of my grandpas had one, and both must of really enjoyed it because they both had really huge lay outs. as far as its "own power supply", it does plug into the wall, so i dont think thats a concern.

plenty of good projects involved with a RR set, like painting houses, to detailing streets to laying the track. im thinkin when im old thats what im going to do too, lol.

[lordairgtar]

I suggest a model railroad train set. both of my grandpas had one, and both must of really enjoyed it because they both had really huge lay outs. as far as its "own power supply", it does plug into the wall, so i dont think thats a concern.

plenty of good projects involved with a RR set, like painting houses, to detailing streets to laying the track. im thinkin when im old thats what im going to do too, lol.
Good idea but there might be space issues at an assisted living facility. Model RRs are pretty cool.

[KidCougar]

so michelle? anything working out with him..?