what do your parents do for fun?

[mydoorisalwaysopen]

I'm not sure I'm asking this in the right section but don't know where else to post this so here goes...

My mum and dad are not in the best of health but not really ill either - basically lots of aches and pains and trouble walking any distance. dad is 82, mum is 72. They are used to having a really active social life but since health has become more of an issue they stay at home more and more and seem to be getting quite depressed, especially mum.

What do your parents do for fun that doesn't require much physical exertion?

Theatre? Cinema? They don't have to go out late - lots of afternoon showings...

And it doesn't have to cost of fortune, most large-ish towns have pretty good quality amateur shows on - could they cope with watching a load of munchkins singing along to Oliver/Sound of Music etc.

Yes - Mum goes a fair bit to the cinema and sometimes to the theatre (usually with me or my sister or brother). My Dad is not into that kind of thing really - he is down about being less able than he was but justs watches TV all day. Mum does quite a lot still but I think she gets really disappointed that Dad doesn't want to/can't do anything - it's not what she had envisaged for their old age. Perhaps I could persuade him to the cinema as he manages to get to the football stadium every weekend!

My grandmother, and now mum and step-dad have joined the University of the 3rd Age. Lots of different groups who meet - mine are in the film, travel and photography groups. Always busy, sometimes together and sometimes on their own. My grandmother belonged right through her 80's. They go on outings, have speakers.

mum (63) - WI, helps with village panto costumes, helps with village magazine publication, looks after my ds2, does a day at CAB

dad (64) - has allotment, on the village gala committee, trustee for one of the village charities

mum got herself a Wii just after christmas and the both love that.

They don't do a lot together and mum is out quite a lot - major reversal from my childhood when dad was always either at work or the pub.

mum also goes to a flower arranging evening class, and french conversation evening class.

She has so much more of a life than me!

My parents are of a similar age, but in poorer health. TBH, they don't really do a lot, but that is partly personality.

WI, Rotary/ Inner Wheel, Probus are all good, especially the lunch time meeting ones as many elderly don't like going out in the dark, and they have varied programmes

My mum (61) sings in a choir, she really enjoys it!

I will look up about the university of the third age. If it's not too "educational" they might go for it - I have suggested evening/daytime classes which I think my mum would enjoy. She lacks confidence in her intelligence so anything that smacks too much of formal education she is very wary of.

They are both quite techno-phobic but I think getting on-line and getting something like a Wii would be good too.

Mum sounded so sad the other day when I spoke to her - she said it feels like there's nothing much to get up for most days .

My parents both go to exercise classes for the older person Dad (73) goes to one run for people who've had heart problems (and rants about the number of men who light up as they leave the sports centre - they're all post heart attack) and mum goes to one which is just listed as a gentle class for Ladies of a Certain Age, IYKWIM .

Would they be interested in a local history group? My MIL (who has lived in the same area all her life) goes to one where they have lectures etc as well as help with any research you might be doing yourself. She also goes to a genealogy class, which is mostly the tutor helping you with your research again. She goes to a Scrabble club too. She's a busy lady - OTOH, we have no idea what FIL is going to do when he retires later this year...

My mother is 72 and my father is 77.

They go to the opera, the ballet, the cinema, to art exhibitions, on walks, to lectures/meals. They have friends for meals and to stay. They go to stay with friends and family and on short holidays abroad or in the UK. They do refurbishing projects on their property at the rate of about one or two a year. They have their daughters and grandchildren to stay. They read. They talk.

Mum - member of a ladies' tenpin bowling team, goes out to dinner/drinks with her friends quite a lot, goes to the horse races, goes on daytrips to places with Dad.

Dad - follows Mum on said daytrips, member of the village Guy Fawkes Night committee, goes to car shows and sometimes to race meetings.

They both dabble in carbooting and Dad does some Ebay trading.

My mum and dad - cinema and occasionally theatre together. Mum does a older persons exercise class once a week - dad plays golf. They have signed up for french classes together. Gardening (as much a necessity as a pleasure.) Suduko (Dad). Doing the telegraph crossword competitively (dad photocopies it on his printer so they can do it at the same time!!)

MIL and her husband - Have both signed up for Uni of the 3rd Age and are doing all sorts of classes. MIL goes to gym. Her DH has become a member of the Board that runs their village hall. They are both 'friends of the Ludlow Festival' and help out at festival time directing people round time/being ushers at performances. They also both go to to dances/jazz bands. TBH trying to find a few hours in their busy diaries is a challenge - good on them!

my mum goes to the university of the 3rd age too - she is 72 and very active. It's not too "academic" at all from what I can gather.

Something that got both my parents out a bit more was a season ticket for the local theatre. It meant that they went to see every prodction (including ones they may not have "chosen" to see IYSWIM which opened their horizons a bit and they also met new friends because the same people always went on the same day as them and sat in the same seats!

They also have fooball season tickets

My mum was/is a nurse and is very hot on keeping them both active physically and mentally to slow the aging process. (Loads of research into how being mentally active wards of Alzheimers etc - hence the sudhuko/crossword/French.)

They are 70 and 72 and in reasonable health, but a few problems over the past couple of years (bad fall and early stage cancer now in remission.)

Going back five years my parents did so much more than they do now - basically my Mum's hip and knee joints are so painful walking is a trial for her and my dad has had a couple of nasty falls which have knocked his confidence. They do have friends over for dinner and go out to friends houses - and relatives and they are lucky in that the whole of the wider family live nearby. Mum's evenings are quite busy - she's involved with quite a bit but Dad really just goes out to his club Sunday lunchtime and to football on saturday afternoon.

Mum reads loads and loves scrabble but she would never join the local scrabble club (I have suggested it) as she doesn't think she's good enough (she is but does have a tendency to make up words to fit her letters ) For the same reason she would not join or start a book club.

Bridge was a lifesaver for my Mum when we lost Dad - kept her meeting people, and kept her brain active.

MIL has amazed us all by going to an older person's IT course, to learn how to use a computer. She done really well, and has passed her first exam!

My mum did a second degree and started a masters! She sews cross stitch (which she picked up from me, proud emoticon) and watches endless amounts of tennis mostly on her laptop. She is now terminally ill - I was really sure she wouldn't know what to do when she retired but I am so proud of her, even as she has lost her health and strength.

I am sure I would be even more worried in your position - especially at them growing apart at such a late stage. Do they watch "mindless" television or have they an enthusiasm similar to my mum's tennis? My mum makes herself walk for 20 minutes a day - not because anyone makes her - is all she can manage now. Does your mum like baking? Do they have freinds in a similar situation they could socialise with more in the day? Has your dad ever been into woodwork or anything? I reme,ber my grandparents having projects like my much beloved dolls house and fire engine (he made, she painted).

They go bowling 2 or 3 times a week, indoor and outdoor.

Mum belongs to various church groups, some townswomens guild thing where they all go off on coach trips and eat scones. General dogoody stuff which she enjoys.

They're both 77, dad has bad arthritis but bowling seems to help.

Mum goes indoor bowling twice a week but Dad has given up. Dad watches a lot of quiz shows and sports. I do think the main problem is that Mum still does things, goes out, wants to go on holiday, etc etc and Dad doesn't want to do anything - but mum feels guilty if she goes off without him. He doesn't do any housework or gardening (for fear of falling and hurting himself) so he doesn't really do anything. I asked them if they were going back to this really nice hotel this year and dad just said no without hesitation - mum just said "I guess not then"

My mother goes to the local active retirement association which holds various activities during the month/week, eg small (3-5 miles) walk with lunch at the end, 10-pin bowling, going to various concerts/theatres. Just look under active retirement association in your area.

My grandparents, who are in their late 80s and aren't hugely mobile, take French classes and are very involved in their local twinning association. They're also regular church-goers and still involved in the Normandy veterans groups. The Telegraph crossword is a must and now they're talking about getting a computer and going online.

A friend's dad suddenly took up baking in later life and is now a hugely enthusiastic cake-maker. Recipe book for a birthday present?!

mum (79) is still amazingly active (she runs a lunch club for the old people in the village!). a lot of her activities do involve going out - so not sure if they're too active for you, but, once out, she's generally not on her feet. she does book club and WI, she meets a group of friends who are a sort of hangover from when Dad was in Rotary - they have dinner and a speaker once a month, and she meets her friends/old neighbours from when they all had babies once a month - they meet at each houses for coffee and cake. she's also in U3A - she does walking with them but they do all sorts of stuff and she's made lots of friends through it.

my dad researches family history. all the time. and walks his dogs. not sure what his wife does. hoovers mainly.

U3A definitely worth looking at

derr - sorry I see U3A has laready been suggested