Mom has been in hospice, in her home, with caregivers for several months now. She will watch a little TV during the day and has enjoyed coloring in "adult" coloring books. (Not x-rated! I just mean they aren't cartoons pictures for kids!) But reading doesn't hold her attention any longer. Knitting has become frustrating to her sense of accomplishment since she makes so many mistakes these days. (I tell her I love each dropped stitch. It makes my new scarf very personal.) What other activities can I bring to her now that she is housebound and stuck in that reclining chair? Any ideas?

Do you think she might have the capacity to grasp surfing the internet? Many older folks shy away from using a computer because they fear breaking it. Also they have no knowlage of it. But once they get their feet wet they can have the world at their doorstep and not leave the room. She may have much more to contribute then you realize.

Contact your public library to get Talking Books sent to her. All is free. She will get the equipment and books on tape or CD by mail, Here's a site to explain further: Home Page of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (http://www.loc.gov/nls/)

OR, just get her a CD player and check out books on CD from the library. They should have a good supply available. You will probably be able to lengthen the checkout time if you tell the librarian your mom's situation (but then, she may "read" them fairly quickly). Even new books are put on CD almost immediately nowadays.

Trying out a Kindle (Kindle Fire with Internet access?) might be another option.