need some ideas. can anyone help?

[jimblejambles]

My grandad has had a stroke. He is past the danger stage but has lost the use of his right arm and leg. Also his speech is affected. He also can't sit up without throwing up.

The Dr has said we need to stimulate him mentally to aid recovery and stop depression. But as he is deaf and can not write anymore we are at a loss about how to hlp him.

So has anyone got any ideas? bless him he is going crazy watching tv.

tia

DHs nan had a stroke and I got her a little personal cd player and lots of listening books from the library - it really did help her and made the boring time she spent in hospital go quicker.

Not sure about this but physical puzzles like Rubiks cubes etc. Or those metal shapes linked together that you can link or unlink if you get it exactly right. Might at least be something to fiddle with.

Sorry, just saw his arm is a problem so I guess two handed things not so good. Someone I know in this position had a set of those arabic fiddling beads iykwim. They can be quite relaxing but you end up sort of making patterns with them with your fingers. Not very good explanation.

Would those Nintendo brain puzzle machines be any good?

Do you say he can't write only because he's lost the use of his right hand or are there other reasons? If that's it then I'd say learning to use the left hand was a priority. (Hope that doesn't sound agressive, it's not meant to ). Being able to write with his left hand will be a skill he will always have, and learning to do so will be a challenge mentally. He'll also then widen his options for further stimulation.

thank you for all the suggestions.

Yes he can't write as he is right handed and as he is struggling sitting up learning to write with his left hand is a bit difficult at the moment.

We were going to get him a nintendo ds but as he struggles with the freeview controls (before the stroke) we thought it would leave him muttering "bloody technology"

Think I will look on ebay for those beads.

Thank you all very much

When I had encephalitis I lost a bit of mobility on my left side, I sympathise with your grandad, it's really frustrating. My sister (a neuropsychatrist) got me doing a programme of rehab which consisted of a broad range of activities but just short bursts and then rests. The activities included sudoku, crosswords and puzzles, swimming, gentle yoga, short walks (or short stumbles in the beginning!), colouring books (the reason kids are encouraged to colour in is that it helps develop fine motor control). But definitely rest in between because it's so frustrating how hard the simple things become... Best of luck for his recovery. (I'm fine btw)

Thank you thebecster. They are really good ideas and something that ds1 can do with him (the colouring books anyway)

Pleased you have recovered