Sun Oct 6, 2013, 02:36 PM

mrmpa (4,033 posts)

I am so happy, my 83 year old mother is reading again............

She had cataract surgery a year ago. She stopped reading because she said her eyes got heavy and tired. This past summer I enrolled her in the Library's summer reading program. You had to meet your stated goal of books to read, in her case 3 and if you read those books you got a free book from the Library. She got a free book.

Within the past 4 weeks she has outdone her summer goal of 3, by reading 4 and she started her 5th this morning. I get her large print which seems easier for her. There is a TV show on the Hallmark Movie Channel, called "Cedar Cove", which she thoroughly enjoys. When I went to the library I found the series of Cedar Cove books in large print. I brought one home not knowing if she'd like it(Mom's usual genre is murder mysteries). She did like it and started a thriller I brought this morning.

I am so glad she's reading again.

14 replies, 1341 views

Thread info Bookmark this thread Trash this thread

Reply to this thread

Always highlight: 10 newest replies | Replies posted after I mark a forum

Replies to this discussion thread

14 replies	Author	Time	Post
I am so happy, my 83 year old mother is reading again............ (Original post)	mrmpa	Oct 2013	OP
Have you signed her up on DU?	Downwinder	Oct 2013	#1
I would love to, but..........	mrmpa	Oct 2013	#2
She was around when "That Man" was in the White House,	Downwinder	Oct 2013	#6
She loved "that man"...........	mrmpa	Oct 2013	#7
See. i was right. We need her.	Downwinder	Oct 2013	#9
You know, I think I will.............	mrmpa	Oct 2013	#10
How many would recognize "That Man?"	Downwinder	Oct 2013	#13
That is wonderful news. Anything that open horizons for older people is good. n/t	patricia92243	Oct 2013	#3
I'm very glad to hear that	Goalie49009	Oct 2013	#4
That sound like my mom.........	mrmpa	Oct 2013	#12
If she loses her sight again...purchase her a kindle and sign up for audible.com	angstlessk	Oct 2013	#5
Yes to the Kindle and other e-readers	procon	Oct 2013	#8
I bought her a Nook for Christmas last year..........	mrmpa	Oct 2013	#11
Wonderful!	Enthusiast	Oct 2013	#14

Response to mrmpa (Original post)

Sun Oct 6, 2013, 03:06 PM

Downwinder (12,869 posts)

1. Have you signed her up on DU?

Reply to this post

Response to Downwinder (Reply #1)

Sun Oct 6, 2013, 04:30 PM

mrmpa (4,033 posts)

2. I would love to, but..........

she has no interest in learning computers. I often have posted some of her insights though.

Reply to this post

Response to mrmpa (Reply #2)

Sun Oct 6, 2013, 05:03 PM

Downwinder (12,869 posts)

6. She was around when "That Man" was in the White House,

we can use her insights. Perhaps now that she can see better.

Reply to this post

Response to Downwinder (Reply #6)

Sun Oct 6, 2013, 05:22 PM

mrmpa (4,033 posts)

7. She loved "that man"...........

her Dad worked for the WPA, Grandma wouldn't let him sign up for the CCC. Grandpap was born in 1887 in Poland and when Mom was born in in 1930 he was 43.

Reply to this post

Response to mrmpa (Reply #7)

Sun Oct 6, 2013, 08:19 PM

Downwinder (12,869 posts)

9. See. i was right. We need her.

Get her to tell about the 30's. My memory only goes to the 40's.

Reply to this post

Response to Downwinder (Reply #9)

Mon Oct 7, 2013, 01:38 AM

mrmpa (4,033 posts)

10. You know, I think I will.............

ask her questions at dinner & post her insights, memories, etc. I can tell you that I know that she voted for the 1st time in 1951 and that she has never voted for a Republican. She, my Dad,(now deceased) my 3 brothers and I are all union members. Mom was the 1st of us to go on strike.

Stay tuned for more.

Reply to this post

Response to mrmpa (Reply #10)

Mon Oct 7, 2013, 02:28 AM

Downwinder (12,869 posts)

13. How many would recognize "That Man?"

The Roosevelts had as much thrown at them as the Obamas. Of course Eleanor was a bit more active and got much more heat..

Reply to this post

Response to mrmpa (Original post)

Sun Oct 6, 2013, 04:35 PM

patricia92243 (12,405 posts)

3. That is wonderful news. Anything that open horizons for older people is good. n/t

Reply to this post

Response to mrmpa (Original post)

Sun Oct 6, 2013, 04:37 PM

Goalie49009 (748 posts)

4. I'm very glad to hear that

My grandmother is turning 88 soon...she watches TV alot those Soap things....and I'm trying to get her back to reading her romance books cause she has ALOT of them so many I lost count... Good for your mom though.

Reply to this post

Response to Goalie49009 (Reply #4)

Mon Oct 7, 2013, 01:42 AM

mrmpa (4,033 posts)

12. That sound like my mom.........

She was watching a lot of TV, and napping a lot. The DVR is full of things that she DVR'd in case she fell asleep. We get the newspaper delivered daily and sometimes she would read it, but not often enough.

Reading is a better activity for her, IMO, than TV.

Reply to this post

Response to mrmpa (Original post)

Sun Oct 6, 2013, 04:41 PM

angstlessk (11,862 posts)

5. If she loses her sight again...purchase her a kindle and sign up for audible.com

for 14.99 per month..or go to libervox.com for free...

Reply to this post

Response to angstlessk (Reply #5)

Sun Oct 6, 2013, 05:30 PM

procon (15,805 posts)

8. Yes to the Kindle and other e-readers

She can set the best font style and also the larger sizes as well as different page/text contrasting colors and screen brightness, plus the page orientation, all of which will help her to read when she can see the text better.

Check Amazon and many other online sources for free and very low priced books. Your library probably has e-books available as well, and some even have programs that may offer to lend a Kindle as well if she can't afford one.

Reply to this post

Response to procon (Reply #8)

Mon Oct 7, 2013, 01:39 AM

mrmpa (4,033 posts)

11. I bought her a Nook for Christmas last year..........

but she says it's too heavy. I use it & I download free books. Every Friday Barnes and Noble offers a free book and free app.

Reply to this post

Response to mrmpa (Original post)

Mon Oct 7, 2013, 08:23 AM

Enthusiast (50,983 posts)

14. Wonderful!

Give her a hug from us. I don't know what we would do if we couldn't read.

Reply to this post

The DU Lounge (Forum)