Suggestions on things to do while visiting mum in care home.

No suggestions, just sympathy here OP. FIL will shortly be going into a care home (dementia) but still lives with MIL at the mo. We try to take him to give her a break when we can. When I ask MIL what he enjoys so we can do something with him, she insists the answer is: nothing.

His best interactions are with a family member’s 18 month old. He definitely enjoys just watching him babble and play and eat etc. Any babies you can steal? 😁

What do you do at home, or not have time for which you can take along? Crafts, sewing, knitting, painting, something to clean or restore, poetry or familiar book to read a chapter of? Jigsaw? Postcards from familiar places or where you/she have visited on past.

I used to read to my dad, often stories he'd read me as a child. It doesn't matter if she's not following them, the sound of your voice will be a comfort to her. Does she like singing? Sing old fashioned songs to her, or play them on your phone.

Does she have a tv? Can you just sit and watch tv together?

Would she notice how long you stayed? My parent just wanted to be visited, they didn’t seem to want me there for long. Little and often seemed to be best.

Music can be incredibly powerful.
There was one lady in the same care home as my mum who was physically OK but barely verbal.
When they had musical sessions she would join in and get up and dance - totally transformed

My mum used to enjoy having her nails done. And chunky wooden jigsaws

Can she still play board games or card games - obes which she used to play with you as a child and play herself as a child may be remembered (obviously it depends how advanced her dementia is).

Keep the visits short too - anything more than an hour and everyone to frazzled

Could you play some music that your Mum likes. My Mum's is still mobile so sometimes she'll have a little dance too, and she'll sing along. I've got a small speaker which plugs into my phone to play tracks.

Can you read a book to her? Also, I used to take a crossword book and read out the clues. It just made it so we weren't sitting in silence.

Could you listen to
some songs on Spotify that are familiar to her?
if she sings any lyrics you can Google the string to find the song and find it on Spotify. I used to do this with my df.

Also are there any old stories she likes to tell? I used to find that if I got certain phrases right, it would trigger df’s memory and he’d recite old stories. I heard them a lot, so maybe not a help with the boredom, but I’d give so much to hear one again.

I work as an activity coordinator in care homes...
Could you print of some nursery rhyme quiz's, eg - Who was in the boat with the butcher and baker? Then try and recite the rhymes together.
Although they appear childish, you would be amazed at how well these are remembered. Even try and get them on you tube on your phone.
Buy some hand cream and offer a hand massage, paint her nails?
I also have a good selection of aromatherapy oils that most enjoy going through, rub a little vegetable oil on the front of hands first and add a couple of drops of sensory oil and massage in. Pop a bit on their clothing or cushions, leaves a lovely scent in rooms.