Gift ideas for an elderly blind man?



my grandpa is in his 80s and has gone blind rather quickly in the last 2 years (macular degeneration). it's been a big change for him as well as my family and my dad is now living with him as his caregiver. he's still a very sharp guy but he's not engaged in anything other than day-to-day activities and listening...
I think the old radio recordings are a great idea! You could make a date to listen to some of the them with him after the holidays.   

  

Here is a link to a website that sells recordings of old radio shows, and also links to some of my dad;s and a few of my own favorites. These were all done before I was born; but I've heard the recordings and they are fun. You also might want to ask your grandfather which radio shows he liked to listen to.   

  

OTRCat.com   

Old Time Radio Show Catalog   

[http://www.otrcat.com/?gclid=CN2VqaTXl5c...](http://www.otrcat.com/?gclid=CN2VqaTXl5cCFQOjFQodPDXDIw)   

  

Will Rogers program   

[http://www.otrcat.com/will-rogers-p-1985...](http://www.otrcat.com/will-rogers-p-1985.html)   

  

Burns and Allen   

[http://www.otrcat.com/burns-allen-p-1148...](http://www.otrcat.com/burns-allen-p-1148.html)   

  

Jack Benny   

http://www.otrcat.com/jack-benny-p-1422.html   

  

Red Skelton   

http://www.otrcat.com/red-skelton-p-1764.html   

  

Duffy's Tavern   

http://www.otrcat.com/duffys-tavern-p-1215.html   

  

The Saint, detective show, with Vincent Price   

http://www.otrcat.com/saint-vincent-price-p-1963.html   

  

The Adventures of Philip Marlowe   

http://www.otrcat.com/philipmarlowe-p-1727.html   

  

Lone Ranger-serial, western   

http://www.otrcat.com/lone-ranger-p-1521.html   

  

Ray Bradbury-Science Fiction   

http://www.otrcat.com/bradbury-collection-p-1134.html
I would suggest looking for an assisted living or Memory Care program. Sounds like he needs to have a Power of Attorney assigned for finance and also one for health care. Has anyone in the family broached these topics with your father? Unfortunately, you are now in the position of needing to be more proactive in caring for your father, much like your parents did for you when you were a child unable to make decisions for yourself. It sounds like it is time for a family meeting with your siblings, if you have any, or contacting your local Department on Aging to assist you with the activities that need to be done to adequately care for your elderly father. Your loved one is in a nursing home and has dementia, is that correct? By "disengaged" do you mean that your LO doesn't interact with others and doesn't participate in group activities?  
  
Does LO attend live entertainment, movie night, bingo -- the kinds of things done in a group, but with no real interaction with others?  
  
Does the NH offer activities that are done individually, even if others are present? Such as crafts, gardening activities, baking, etc? Does the mere presence of other people bother your LO? I would think playing cards and interactive games would be out, but making a greeting card might be OK.  
  
So my first suggestion would be to go over the monthly activities calendar with the social director and pick out some things that LO might enjoy.  
  
How about activities like crosswords, word find puzzles, sorting things (coins, beads, markers.) My mother loves it when I bring in a laundry basket of clean socks and ask her to match them up for me. Mom also likes to fold a small basket of wash clothes that have different textures and colors. Coloring with crayons or markers or colored pencils is popular with some and can be done in a group or all alone. The answer can be complex depending on what your grandmother is willing to do/accept. Does your grand mother have Power of Attorney for his medical care and finances???? Is your grandmother willing to put her health and marriage first?? If not, it gets very complicated.  
  
1)The Area Agency on Aging is in every county in the USA. She can contact them to come out to evaluate your great grand father for his needs. They offer help with various situations. It is based on income level.  
  
2)Having a Power of Attorney (POA) is a necessity to make legal decisions for another persons medical/finance.  
  
3) If your grandmother does not have a POA and your great-grandfather refuses to get one, there is only one way that I know about to help your grandmother, but only if she is willing to be very strong against her father.'  
  
She can take her father to the ER for medical issue. Then she would have to be very strong to say, "I cannot take care of him." What happens, is the state steps in and he would be placed in a facility if it is determined he cannot take care of himself. Many of had to do this, it sounds drastic, but sometimes it is the only solution when the caregiver is having their own health issues to take care of. The hospital will pressure your grandmother so she will have to stand her ground.   
  
Maybe someone else will have more to offer you than I do. Good luck, and I hope something can be done. I recently found out that my grandpa did not treat my grandma very kindly. He died about 18 years ago and my grandma died about 7 years ago. Recently I was talking to my dad (who knew about how his dad treated his mom) and found out that how he always put her down and insulted her and my aunt. I guess he wanted a son but was not too pleased when their first child was a daughter and their second child who was a boy was stillborn. I guess he blamed my grandma for that as well. He controlled their money and I guess was just mentally abusive. I remember him being grouchy most of the time but I also remember my grandma being a little grouchy too so I just assumed that’s how they were. I was about 13 when he died. My dad did tell me he was never physically abusive but the whole thing still bothers me. I am told that I take after my other grandpa who would bend over backwards to help people but he died before I was born. if this is old news, just a bad habit. if new onset, you need to see an ophthalmologist/neurologist to rule out any neurological disease. see more... my dad tries walking to a rhythm or to a beat. it bypasses some circuitry in his brain and gets him out of the freeze. doorways and turns are especially tricky for him. his physical therapist taught him to say/think "inside the box" (his walker), "stand up straight," and "focal point." this helps him to "reset" and try again when he gets stuck. he has been improving with this strategy. we also say "prancing pony" to make him laugh and remind him to take big steps. hope this helps. More than likely, you're experiencing Compassion Fatigue which is defined as   
 a condition characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion leading to a diminished ability to empathize or feel compassion for others, often described as the negative cost of caring. It is sometimes referred to as secondary traumatic stress.  
  
Google it, and take the test online to see if you suffer from it vs. burnout; there is a big difference. Here is an article on the subject:  
  
https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/compassion-fatigue  
  
Here's a link to the Compassion Fatigue test for helpers:  
  
https://www.michvma.org/resources/Documents/Prof.%20Competencies/2017%20Proceedings/figley%20self%20assessment%202.pdf  
  
Please don't ever think of yourself as a horrible, careless person! We are all human and as such, have our breaking points, especially after care giving for years on end. Don't think of yourself as some being that should be able to handle all that's thrown at you without breaking down........that's not realistic or healthy. Nor is it realistic or healthy for you to be in such a position to be a personal caregiver to a mother who's been so sick for so long. A nursing home is staffed with teams of caregivers who work around the clock precisely so that one or two people don't have to suffer the tremendous burden that you and your father have been suffering. You're only two people doing the job of a large TEAM of people; so it's no wonder you're feeling this way.  
  
Wishing you the best of luck in finding peace and joy for yourself amidst the duties you've taken on. this is a common type of question, in esence, and there is no mystery about how to be helpful  be ubnderstanding, supportive, ask if there is something you can do to help, and above all listen to whatever he may want to discuss about his problems, if and when he wants to talk about it. sounds like you have already been very helpful about arrnaging for him to see a relevant doc, and support groups, etc. maybe he needs to take a bit more initiative about all this, himself ? presumably counselling would help him come to terms better with the divorce and the issues surrounding the children Hello Donisanti! Thank you for asking at HealthReplies.com.







Cataract is a disorder caused by turbidity in the lens of the eye. Cataracts often occur due to aging. Over time, cataracts will continue to become more severe and further reduce vision. The view will look foggy. Usually, the development of cataracts occurs very slowly. After many years since cataracts first occur in the eye, cataracts will become the most severe stage of cataracts or hypermatur. At this stage, surgery becomes much more difficult to do because the cloudy lens has been damaged and melted. Therefore, cataract surgery should be done immediately since the symptoms were first felt. If you wait too long, complications can occur in the form of blindness. Patients with diabetes, hypertension, smoking, or obesity can experience faster cataract development. If indeed the right eye is declared by an ophthalmologist not to be operated on, chances are there really nothing that can be done for that eye. It's best if you and your family focus on overcoming the problem in their left eye, so that at least your parents can see through 1 eye clearly. Ask your doctor who will operate on your parents in detail in preparation for surgery. Avoid using certain drugs, both drinking and eye drops, without consulting with the doctor first.







That's all information from me. I hope this helps.







Regards. Hello Rahma,



The condition of your mother who experienced the complaints as mentioned should not be taken lightly, especially if accompanied by blurred vision. These complaints can be caused by various medical conditions including:



Inflammation of the cornea or part of the eyeball that is black due to infection with fungi, bacteria, viruses, etc. Glaucoma or damage to the nerves in the eye due to increased eye pressure



Because it can be caused by various medical conditions, direct examination by a doctor is necessary. The doctor will examine especially your mother's eyes and perform additional examinations if needed. Treatment will adjust to the underlying cause, which can be eye drops containing antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, etc.



Some tips that can be done regarding your mother's condition:



Do not rub the eyes Warm compresses on the swollen parts of the eye Do not use eye drops without doctor's instructions Consume nutritious food and get enough rest



If the complaints that your mother is experiencing are getting worse, then it's a good idea to immediately visit an eye doctor to get the right treatment



May be useful



dr. M. Rizki