Thinking about entertainment for Mom has always been a project.
If we go to the movies, it had to be something intelligent with no skin, swearing, or suggestive material. That's pretty limiting!
Taking her to a play was pretty simple - especially in Port Angeles. But she liked to make comments here and there and talk back to the actors under her breath - that was entertainment in itself, and sometimes a bit embarrassing, especially when the people around us would look over to see who was making the sounds. But, it worked.
We did try a musical, and that went fine, but it wasn't very good, and she was pretty good! Same with concerts.
Today, all that past still lingers. However, taking her to a movie is still limiting - it now has to have all the above, but needs a good linear plot that she can follow between naps. Taking her to a film such as "Unbroken" simply served to confuse her, and she kept looking at the scenery and found the plot very confusing. In other words, she became a bit of side entertainment which distracted from the actual film on the screen.
With the cost of tickets, nowadays, it seems rather impractical to take her to a musical concert or play because she'll only want to nap and won't really appreciate it as once she did. This is sad, and rather limiting, as well.
My brother had bought her a television and brought in all sorts of videos for her to watch when she first moved to St. Anthony's. However, she refused to put the tv up as she believed that meant she was staying. She shared the videos with other residents in the television room, but soon that wore off and she sent the videos home with me. Later, the television would follow, which meant the DVD player for her was also a moot point.
She has a stereo in her room but once the cd has played out she doesn't put in another nor shut it down.
Mom also used to read like a bandit. Now, she gazes at the paper, looks at book pages, and loves magazines with lots of pictures. She really likes those pictures. So, when travel magazines come, or anything in the vein of National Geographic, I take them to her and she loves them - then puts them in a box.
I do know they have concerts where she lives. I know they have other forms of presentations. I know she gets to play games. But at this point she seems to have a lack of interest in most anything.
So, aside from visits, and the occasional movie (shopping was never something I enjoyed at all, and neither did she unless she had a mission), walks, dinners, and whatnot, there really isn't much she can enjoy or appreciate much, nor does she truly remember (unless she dreams it).
There is one ray of light, though. She now has Mario Lanza, Jeanette MacDonald/Nelson Eddy movies at my eldest brother's house, along with a Shirley Temple collection which she finds delightful. However, her attention span at anyone's home or anywhere outside of St. A's tends to be limited to about 2 hours - so that puts a damper on finishing the film with dinner.
Lewy has taken a toll.
If we go to the movies, it had to be something intelligent with no skin, swearing, or suggestive material. That's pretty limiting!
Taking her to a play was pretty simple - especially in Port Angeles. But she liked to make comments here and there and talk back to the actors under her breath - that was entertainment in itself, and sometimes a bit embarrassing, especially when the people around us would look over to see who was making the sounds. But, it worked.
We did try a musical, and that went fine, but it wasn't very good, and she was pretty good! Same with concerts.
Today, all that past still lingers. However, taking her to a movie is still limiting - it now has to have all the above, but needs a good linear plot that she can follow between naps. Taking her to a film such as "Unbroken" simply served to confuse her, and she kept looking at the scenery and found the plot very confusing. In other words, she became a bit of side entertainment which distracted from the actual film on the screen.
With the cost of tickets, nowadays, it seems rather impractical to take her to a musical concert or play because she'll only want to nap and won't really appreciate it as once she did. This is sad, and rather limiting, as well.
My brother had bought her a television and brought in all sorts of videos for her to watch when she first moved to St. Anthony's. However, she refused to put the tv up as she believed that meant she was staying. She shared the videos with other residents in the television room, but soon that wore off and she sent the videos home with me. Later, the television would follow, which meant the DVD player for her was also a moot point.
She has a stereo in her room but once the cd has played out she doesn't put in another nor shut it down.
Mom also used to read like a bandit. Now, she gazes at the paper, looks at book pages, and loves magazines with lots of pictures. She really likes those pictures. So, when travel magazines come, or anything in the vein of National Geographic, I take them to her and she loves them - then puts them in a box.
I do know they have concerts where she lives. I know they have other forms of presentations. I know she gets to play games. But at this point she seems to have a lack of interest in most anything.
So, aside from visits, and the occasional movie (shopping was never something I enjoyed at all, and neither did she unless she had a mission), walks, dinners, and whatnot, there really isn't much she can enjoy or appreciate much, nor does she truly remember (unless she dreams it).
There is one ray of light, though. She now has Mario Lanza, Jeanette MacDonald/Nelson Eddy movies at my eldest brother's house, along with a Shirley Temple collection which she finds delightful. However, her attention span at anyone's home or anywhere outside of St. A's tends to be limited to about 2 hours - so that puts a damper on finishing the film with dinner.
Lewy has taken a toll.
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