Need Some Help On What I Can Get For A 90 Year Old Man To Do

misty8723

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 16, 2006
Messages
7,688
Purraise
8,129
Location
North Carolina
My father is 90, and about all he likes to do these days is either color posters or play games on a Kindle. My sister and I would love to find him something that might be similar enough to coloring posters that he would enjoy. We've run out of posters to get for him, and he only likes to do the animal ones.

So if anyone has anything they can suggest, I'd love to hear it.
 

Mother Dragon

Cat slave
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
1,514
Purraise
7
Location
Suburban Houston, TX
There are great themed coloring books that can be had at Michael's or JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, or a bookstore, or perhaps even WalMart or Target. Even online. They have ones of cats, jungle animals, pets, just about animal them eyou can think of.

Does he have friends he could play Words with Friends with? That would b good mental stimulation. A lot more expensive would be those paint by number kits. You can even get photos made into kits.

He might even like punch needle work because it creates a great picture. Most hobby stores have them.

If his hands are steady, he might enjoy building models, especially of old military craft. Again, you'll find a good selection at the hobby stores.
 

mani

Moderator and fervent feline fan
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
46,571
Purraise
23,328
Location
Australia
Jigsaw puzzles are similar.. matching colours and shapes, but you would need to set it up so it was doable. They're online as well, of course.
 

lorie d.

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
7,253
Purraise
339
Location
Upper Midwest (SE MN)
There are great themed coloring books that can be had at Michael's or JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, or a bookstore, or perhaps even WalMart or Target. Even online. They have ones of cats, jungle animals, pets, just about animal them eyou can think of.
:yeah: Maybe you could find some adult coloring books that don't have really complicated pictures. Also for mental stimulation, would your dad enjoy a book that has a variety of puzzles, word games, mazes, word search and etc? I have seen some of these in larger sizes
 
Last edited by a moderator:

EmersonandEvie

Mom to Evie, Emerson and Dexter
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
1,691
Purraise
2,769
Location
Northeast Georgia
I agree with Mother Dragon Mother Dragon about the punch kits! I used to the love the over-under stitch kits that used small bits of yarn and a hook to create an image. It would be a good way for him to help sharpen his fine motor skills too. :)

On his Kindle, they have "paint" by number apps that you tap on a color and then the corresponding number to create an image. Maybe look into those as well?

If he likes animals, see if he would like to go hang out in the kitten or puppy room at your local humane society. They always need volunteers to socialize the animals or read to them!
 

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,271
Purraise
53,931
Location
Colorado US
I was at a Tandy leather store today and saw some leather braiding kits, and they also had Celtic design coloring books...
 

Mia6

Mother of one and numerous ferals
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 22, 2017
Messages
31,113
Purraise
34,063
Location
Ohio, USA
If he likes animals, how about an animal coloring book? Doesn't have to be adult.
 

Jem

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
5,573
Purraise
11,246
My grandfather used to love making match stick models. I'm not sure how steady and nimble your father's hands are but they do take a bit more time to complete so you won't have to go out and get more all the time.
Would he enjoy playing with legos? They make lego kits of all sorts of things like the White House, Big Ben and other famous land marks. I recently made one of the "Big Bang Theory" (TV show), it was fun. There are other brands too, so it doesn't have to be specifically the "Lego" brand only. My husband made one of a helicopter from "Call of Duty" (video game).
 

AbbysMom

At Abby's beck and call
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
78,298
Purraise
19,406
Location
Massachusetts
This is totally different than what you were asking about, but is there a Senior Center or Council on Aging in the town he lives that has activities? The "senior shuttle" picks my 86 year-old mother up twice a week for Bingo. They have other activities as well, like cards, light exercise classes, etc.
 

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
There is a relaxing motion to the coloring. Any chance he could wood burn designs and then color those? What about stenciling? You can stencil on all sorts of things. You might try some pastels. I prefer the oil based ones because I don’t like the texture of the chalk ones. You can get printed canvas that already has a design. They can be colored, painted or done with markers.
Water color pencils are nice too. They come in regular, intense color and even metallic now. My Dad is also 90. I wish he would do something relaxing like that.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18

misty8723

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 16, 2006
Messages
7,688
Purraise
8,129
Location
North Carolina
Thank you all, there are some really good ideas in here for us to consider. I like the idea of the punch kit, maybe I'll start with sending him a couple of those to see how he likes them.

I need to make a list when I'm more awake tomorrow.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #19

misty8723

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 16, 2006
Messages
7,688
Purraise
8,129
Location
North Carolina
I made a list from everyone's suggestions and running it past my sister (who is up there with him). She said he did say he might like to try the diamond dot things she does, so I am going to look to see if I can find some that look easy. He used to do paint by numbers, but I think his eyesight isn't as good as it used to be. He like the posters that don't have a lot of detail for that reason.

There isn't a very good senior center when he lives, and he would love to hang out with cats and/or dogs, but he's allergic. There are people in the neighborhood he visits who have pets and one woman fosters kittens, but he can't spend a lot of time with them.

He might like the legos, but doesn't have a place to set up (small apartment).

Other than that, still a work in progress

Puzzles
Coloring Books
Paint by number
Needle punch
Word games
Latch hook
Paint by number app
Hang out with cats
Leather braiding kits
Make models
Lego kits
Senior center
Watercolor
Stencil
Wood burning
Words with friends
 
Top