I’m trying to help out a friend and am turning to the Dope for ideas. Basically, I’m looking for any suggestions for an elderly person to volunteer their time in some meaningful way WITHOUT leaving the home.
My mother knits donated yarn into hats for a charity that gives them to cancer patients (called Passing Hats - I’m happy to share details) and I’m looking for similar ideas to pass along to a friend. Unfortunately, the knitting skills aren’t shared, so I need something more general I guess.
I elderly woman in question is the full time caretaker for her ill husband (dementia etc.) so she doesn’t want to have to leave home.
Help? My friend’s mom REALLY needs some kind of hobby or way to pass her time.
Yikes. Is she alone being a caretaker most of the time? If so, and if it’s hard for her to get out, perhaps rather than more time doing things for others alone at home, maybe she’d benefit from a weekly meetup group at her home for other caretakers or older ladies. Provide the tea and have others bring goodies and gossip?
I’m kind of the opinion that if someone wants to do something, they will. For example, I’d be inclined to say “she doesn’t crochet/knit, but there are many awesome tutorials online. She can learn!” But if she isn’t interested in the yarn arts, she’ll find a lot of reasons to not learn.
Many libraries have online versions where you can check out audio books via app. I think they are great and free! Is she able to get online?
Can the friend bake cookies or small loaf bread , I use to give my clients homemade cookies for the holidays when I was a health aide . They loved getting homemade cookies b/c it was too hard to bake anymore. COA could pick up the cookies or a member from a church .
If she isn’t much for arts and crafts, maybe she likes chatting on the phone?
CARE is a “telephone reassurance” system that operates in many states, sometimes run by cities, sometimes by community service organizations. Volunteers talk to lonely elderly people, or provide a checkin service for latchkey kids, among other things. You can contact the company that runs the system here, and they’ll help you figure out if there’s anyone running their program who might be able to use her help. CARE® Telephone Reassurance Contact Form For Database Systems Corp.
Oh, that’s a great idea, WhyNot! She doesn’t do crafts… or have any hobbies really (which is why we’re here), but the woman can TALK and loves being on the phone.
Wow, I hadn’t considered phone-based services. That’s friggin’ perfect. What else in that vein is out there?