On occasion when I go to get mom I walk in on her coloring or putting a puzzle together. Sometimes she will do these in the library- they have slightly larger tables there- but mostly she does them in her room. We bought her a 3’ long 2’ foot wide table that sit perfectly under her window. Most of the puzzles that are in the library are 300 count- these are too many pieces for her to do on her table. So, I’m on a mission to find her 200 count- this size is perfect and not so overwhelming. Although time is skewed for her, she still likes to have that feeling of accomplishment. And- if the puzzle sits unfinished on the table for too long it’s frustrating to her.
Coloring books aren’t what they used to be. It’s hard to find a coloring book that are “simple” you might remember them- the ones with a princess on one page the prince on the other and a frog and a wicked witch in between. Or one full of animals – or one based on Micky Mouse and his friends. These are the coloring books that Dorothy likes. They are easy to complete she can finish a page in one sitting- for instant satisfaction.
She says that the new fancy coloring books are not any good- the ones that take several days or even a week to finish are too “hard” there is too much going on and the end is never in site.
So, I often look at the dollar store for the good old fashion coloring books and sometimes I’m successful. The 200 or less piece puzzles are pretty easy to find. It’s true- if we live long enough- we really do circle back to simplicity. (-:
Love and Light,
Cheryl Doreen
Dorothy's Dementia 