What to do when bedridden?
Does she do any crafts she can do from bed? Audiobooks? Netflix? Something like Pinterest can be a good time suck if she's interested. Ted talks? Podcasts--lots of food and travel shows and many others related to specific interests.
Does she have any specific interests? There's a company called The Great Courses/The Teaching Company that puts out courses on so many interesting topics - lots of libraries carry them, or you can order them directly. They always have a portion of their courses on sale at any given time.
They are college-level (for the most part) courses, some are short (12 30 minutes lessons per course), others run to 24 or 36 half-hour lessons (a few are even longer). They cover art, art history, literature, language, linguistics, history, science, culture, lifestyles and so many other areas.
If any of the courses fit her interests, that might be something that would fill in a lot of time in a thought-provoking way.
A number of years ago my elderly mother was virtually bedridden for over two months. She had been a huge fan of anything British on PBS. put a huge TV at the foot of her bed with a DVD player and went on line and ordered a variety of old PBS series, Upstairs Downstairs, The Pallisers and others. Between those, reruns of Andy of Mayberry and a few books of old NY Times crossword puzzles she was quite content.
Additionally, if she has grandchildren, children , family and friends teach her how to do facetime and Skype.
By the way. Lauren Hildebrandt wrote Seabiscuit, the bestseller when she was flat on her back in bed. She had an inner ear/vertigo issue that kept her in bed for 2 years. She wrote the book on a laptop that her boyfriend had rigged so she could type while flat on her back.
Thanks all. These are very charming and interesting but until I speak to my Uncle, I will have to say she would not be interested. I do know that she enjoys gambling. As a matter of fact, she injured herself on one of those gambling boats that circle the harbor while you lose money. She and her sisters have been doing this for decades.
I'm waiting to hear back from my Uncle regarding Netflix. Also, I don't know how computer/internet savvy she is. I don't want to give her anything that will further complicate the situation. I sincerely doubt she knows what Pinterest is!
Mr. K and I really enjoy a variety of podcasts and talk shows on Sirius, but again, I have to be careful with recommending shows to her. She loves gambling and Jesus and any order of the two will do.
I will look into Great Courses for myself! Thanks for that.
Sigh.
An adult coloring book? I recently bought "the Enchanted forest" for my 9 year old daughter and I to do on a long plane ride and we both loved it! The images are very beautiful and we both found it very relaxing. Found it on amazon (of course).
What about one of those hand-held poker/blackjack machines? If she has access to a computer, there are lots of solitaire variations, Snood, and heaven-only-knows how many other games that you can waste time on.......
Does she knit or crochet? that's something she could do while listening to TV or music.
Would she have any interest in learning another language? There are lots of options for that, too - either online or with DVDs (most libraries also carry Rosetta Stone, which I don't love - not sure about Pimsleur, which I find better, at least for my own learning style).
Coursera courses
Watch TED talks
Hulu, Netflix, etc.
Read, read, read
Online games like Scrabble, Solitaire, etc.
Write letters to high-profile people she admires (elected officials, people in the arts)
Join an online community
Knit, needlepoint, crochet
Write her memoir
Because she might gamble away the family fortune in a single afternoon of extreme boredom?
PeggyC said:
Because she might gamble away the family fortune in a single afternoon of extreme boredom?
Yeah, I think the last thing you want to do is tell her about online gambling.
Sounds like you are very fond of her.
Help her download a bunch of casino game apps into her new tablet. Hit It Rich is a fun one. Most states don't have real online gambling for $. Most of these apps are just for fun
FilmCarp said:
Sign her up for MOL. She may fit right in with us.
I was about to say 'post on MOL, especially in the politics and education threads'
Most libraries have audio books if she is interested. A friend's father enjoyed CDs of old radio shows. Amazon has a good selection.
It's nice of you to help out. Hope she has a full and speedy recovery
ETA she may also need to sleep a lot, especially in the early days of recovery.
iTunes card so she can download a bunch of movies and music to that Tablet, whatever it is?
Some libraries, galleries and museums have box collections especially for such occasions. They're organised by themes, and by age groups. Full of creativity, novelty, inspiration, nostalgia, adventure, these boxes contain memorabilia, games, puzzlers, info packs, activity packs, books and a lot more. You can chat with a discharge planner who may know the contact via an Activites planner, or you could go directly to any library or museum and ask for an adult's 'rainy day/sick day box'.
Wishing your uncle's wife a speedy recovery. Unfortunately, I have been there done that and have a pretty good understanding of what she may be going through.
The blog I kept on MOL while bedridden (most recently called Joan Crystal is Cracking Up) was a godsend when I found myself housebound for several months after a severe fall. Having a computer by my bedside, reading, doing puzzles, watching TV, crocheting, playing Farmville, speaking on the phone with friends and family all helped. Most helpful was the stream of visitors I had who came to me when I could not go to them. I also found it helpful to be of help to others while I was laid up. I edited friends' resumes, fixed the justification on a friend's grant proposal, etc.
If your uncle's wife has any sedentary interests, now is a great time to pursue them. You mention an interest in gambling. There are a number of gambling style games on websites such as games.com and MSN Games which could keep her occupied and would not require any money to play. There are also a number of great game aps if the choice is to go the tablet route. Just be sure the charger for the computer or tablet is close at hand so she can keep the device charged on her own. In fact, the better designed her bed area is for self sufficiency the better her mood and recovery will be.
Thank you ALL!
I would NEVER encourage her to gamble online. I shudder to think of the blow out of that.
I will text my uncle the FREE gambling sites that @joan_crystal and @conandrob240 suggested. Not sure if she knows about these. I guess the problem is me not being around them for long periods of time and not knowing what she's into. My uncle is trying but he's stressed and is fumbling a bit. I love the library idea but again, not sure if she's into that or if my Uncle or a caregiver would be able to get there for these activities. They live in Texas. Perhaps Perry has shuttered the part of the library used for independent thinking and the arts. I had to squeeze in a bit of snark! I just had to.
Keep 'em coming. I'm very appreciative!
PeggyC said:
Because she might gamble away the family fortune in a single afternoon of extreme boredom?
The family fortune belongs to her and her husband, not to the OP.
Where in Texas? (I'm originally from Houston and was long-distance caregiver for my parents there a few years back.)
sac said:
Where in Texas? (I'm originally from Houston and was long-distance caregiver for my parents there a few years back.)
Houston. Mo. City to be exact.
And to @FC_ - no one has the right to blow the "family fortune" on bad habits. My aunt loves to gamble. I wouldn't cross the line to say she has an addiction because I don't know that to be true, but she does love to gamble. I'm sure money is spent in that house on gambling that my uncle is unaware of. Sure of it.
I know you said you'd have to check re their library... I just received our city's library network newsletter, and there are several options in it that could be explored.
There's new software to learn any of 95 languages to the level of fluency you want, on any device you'd like. Could be fun!
There's the 'living books' program, this month featuring 4 fascinating people with astonishing life stories they're happy to share over a cuppa. Normally this is done by booking a session at a set location and date (each has 6 over a month), but I'm sure if, for example your aunt were interested in the pioneer's family story, that woman might be willing to arrang a home visit for an hour.
There's also a library-access version to the Ancestry.com database and products, and tutoring in writing your family's history, or the story of one member. One feature of this project in our library connects you with some publishing possibilities, even if it's just for online connections or toe-in-the-water larger possibilities (some magazines, etc).
Creative writing competitions, book clubs for people who can't get to a library or for people who don't like books, New Tech day at each site exploring assistive tech in reading and writing (and it's so much more than Jaws, DragonSpeak, Magic8 or Read Aloud)...
My friend is about to spend 8 weeks post-op in bed, unable to move. Because it's spinal surgery, she'll have to minimise hand and neck movements too. But we'll be using FaceTime daily, to stay in touch.
PeggyC said:
FC_ said:Huh? I was referring to the bedridden aunt, not the OP. And I was being facetious in any case.
PeggyC said:The family fortune belongs to her and her husband, not to the OP.
Because she might gamble away the family fortune in a single afternoon of extreme boredom?
Sorry PeggyC, I wasn't clear, plus I didn't pick up on your being facetious, so sorry for that too. What I'd meant was that what the aunt does with her money is between her and her husband.
Got it. But my point was that if someone who loves to gamble is bored and in pain and unhappy, the results of gambling online for long periods of time could be pretty bad (if using the sites where you can actually bet money). And while it might not be the business of the OP (or me) I would not actively encourage such behavior with a gift opening the door to the possibility. But now we understand each other, so moving on...
This reminds of something. If your uncle does go the tablet/app route, be sure to disable in-app purchases on the tablet. Many of the game apps provide for in-app purchases that can get quite expensive and/or include ads to gaming sites which are basically on-line casinos. That is why I recommended internet-based game sites that do not include such a provision.
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My uncle's wife had a terrible fall and is bedridden. He's arranging for a home health RN to come in a few hours a day but not sure when that will happen. My aunt is not the most pleasant woman on a healthy day and I shudder to think what she's like now (they live out of state). Other than puzzle books, what are some good tools to get someone who is in this state? My Uncle said that he ordered her a Nook or Tablet or something and that should help. Although I am concerned about her health and recovery, I'm also concerned about how my Uncle is holding up trying to keep her company, keep her occupied, work part time (he's retired but can't keep still) and keep sane during this time.