Question for my Boomer friends....

My best friend's mother, who is a kind of surrogate mother to me, had a relatively severe stroke.

She's doing very well now and I have let her use my old laptop for hand to eye co-ordination and to watch movies to forgo the boring hospital routine.

My question is: What kind of Bigfish games would you suggest that might help her with her hand to eye co-ordination? She has limited movement in her right arm and hand but it's getting better and her left is fine.

I just bought her a refurbished laptop so she'll have one of her own and I will be purchasing some games to download on it when I get it.

The first place I thought of to go for help was here because I know from experience that Gameboomers are the most compassionate people and I'd get the best ideas here.

I wasn't sure where to put this but I'm sure the admins will move it. I thought since I was looking for casual games it might go here...8)

I would think any untimed HOG game would be great especially the I SPY series since they are a bit simpler and not as demanding on computer specs.

Best wishes for her on her road to recovery.

Ana

The I-Spys might be great. There would have to be large items for her to find and I believe those were a bit more child-friendly which is what I think she needs right now.

What do you think about the brick popping games? Where she would have to slide the bar along the bottom to keep the balls breaking the bricks?

I was also thinking about games like Turtix where she would have to use the arrow keys to move. Maybe when she gets more finger movement.

Thanks Ana for the wishes, only a month ago they saw no hope and now they are already considering taking out the feeding tube and we can understand about 75% of what she's saying. She's only 50 so at least she has her age going for her in recovery.

JLK, providing she can click the mouse, there are many good choices among the Hogs/Ihogs.

If she can't click the mouse, there should be work arounds that Occupational Therapy could help with.

She might also like the Word games If you can find any that are untimed.

Or perhaps Mahjong, or the card games....again, as long as you can find the ones that let her play at her own pace.

Be sure to download and try out the potential ones to weed out tiny items and cluttered screens.

I would have suggested match 3 games - there are many that are simple match games.

Of the HOG's, I would say they would have to be simple ones. Nothing like IHOG or FROGs - it might frustrate her instead of helping.

Do not rule out card games! She probably knows some already and there are solitaire games where all you do is go up a card and down a card.

Mahjong might be enjoyable too.

OMG! a stroke at 50! I shall say a prayer for her recovery!

Linda

The break out games with the balls and the bar is likely going to be too frustrating because even the easy ones require quick reflexes. Even a match three game with no timers would be good.

Ana

You might also check out some of the newer Match-3 games. There are some with no timer options, Fishdom 2 comes to mind, nice bright and cute objects, timer optional, and those aquariums are fun to fill up from the money you earn in the game. Untimed HOGs and IHOGS are great too, I am working on Enlightenus 2 and it is a fun one that has you putting the objects back into the scene.

Good luck!

Koalanut

Excellent, excellent ideas. I never would have thought about word games, they would serve a dual purpose, hand to eye and verbal acuity. Thanks so much!! And the match 3 games would be perfect for some colorful fun if I can find one with big pictures and no timer. Card games would likely be a bit of a stretch at this moment although perhaps long-term memory would make them easier as it's something I know she's played before.

I knew I'd get great ideas from everyone here! I'll have to tell Bernice where all the ideas came from. Maybe we'll get a new boomer when she's better!!

Flower Paradise would be another good match-3 game which has both timed and untimed options.

I'll have lots of games to weed through now. Thanks for the suggestions!!

jldcat I'd recommend The Da Vinci's Secrets.

jldcat Bejeweled 2 is a fun, supportive game where that deep voice says "Good" and "Excellant" when the score runs up.
It's wonderful that you are jumping in to help with your friend's mother and I hope she has a speedy recovery.

I would be honored to donate a game coupon for your friend. Let me know if I can do this to help you.

Joanie, I concur, I would also be pleased to donate a coupon. so please, JLD, keep this in mind.

Jody

What about simple Solitair or a Jig Saw that has the size adjusted to larger pieces. Those are two games I always started my clients out on to get them comfortable with mouse movement.

Of course the HOG/IHOGs would work quite well if it wasn't timed and the pieces weren't too small.

What a nice thing you are doing for this lady. You should be very proud of your generosity, lots of people wouldn't be as nice as you are.

I'd like to donate Fairway Solitaire if you think she'd like it

do you know of this game? combines solitaire and golf

Janice

she could probably play the entire game with her left hand

You people are the GREATEST, seriously.

I know she would like Fairway Solitaire, Janice, because I've got a similar, straight solitaire game on the laptop that she plays! Please PM me!

As for the coupons that have been offered, joanieS and jodie319, you two are very sweet! I will let you know if I'll take you up on your offer!

Are there any rummy type games on Bigfish? She seems to be starting to play a minimally difficult version on my laptop so was wondering if there were a more interesting version for her.

She had her first real meal yesterday in the hospital cafeteria. It was only mashed potatos and gravy but seeing as she's had a feeding tube for the whole period, I think it's a major breakthrough.

They moved her from Ottawa, which is about an hour and a half away, to a smaller hospital about 40 minutes away so she's getting closer. Funnily enough there is a tiny farm on the same street as the hospital that has bunnies, chickens, goats and peacocks so as soon as they're able she's going to love going down there to see the animals. After she takes advantage of the speech pathologist there she should be moved home to where we all live. The hospital here has a really good physio-therapist for her. That way I will be able to see her ALOT more often.

On solitaire, might try World Class Solitaire or BVS solitaire collection. On match 3, Puzzle hero comes to mind.

On jigsaws, lenagames.com has one call bigjig. Get 6 free pictures with the download and don't have to buy it. Also there's one free one to download every week. And to top it off, it comes with jig maker so can scan in photos on computer and then make jigsaws out of them.

Oh, I never thought of jigsaw games!! I know she likes doing the real ones so she might just like doing them on the computer. Excellent idea acornia!!!

Jldcat,

If I might throw my 2 cents in. If she likes jigsaws then that BigJig that Acornia recommended is one of the best on the net. I have been using it for the last 3 or 4 years and love it. I am 67 and usually spend an hour or 2 putting jigsaws that I downloaded from her site or ones that I made myself every day. Best $20 dollars I ever spent. Best thing is that you don't have to buy it if she doesn't like it. The site address is http://www.lenagames.com Lena has a number of other games on her site that you can try for free also.

Good Luck, Hope that she gets well soon.

My mom won't do real ones anymore. She really likes doing them on the computer. Just scanned in some calendar pictures for her.

Thanks again acornia, I downloaded a jigsaw game for her and a few of the games people said she might like. She should get the laptop on Friday so I will let you all know how she likes it!!

Thanks again to all of you!!!

And, of course, Peter's Puzzles are the best jigsaws out there!

Peter's Puzzles

My grandmother had a bad stroke three years ago. Doctor said that she won't make it or in the best case scenario she won't be able to move right arm and speak for the rest of her life.

And yet now she not only speaks but also drives her car (which is a little scary, but she is doing great nonetheless).

So don't worry, your friend will probably be more than Ok :-)

PS I can only donate Brunhilda and the Dark Crystal since I'm not a member on BFG.

http://brunhildathegame.com/

It's a relaxed HOG adventure that we made. Items can be smallish at times but there is a zoom feature and hint recharges very quickly. Game is lighthearted and your friend will probably appreciate little humor in her condition.

I will PM you with coupon code as soon as I get it. It will probably be sometime tomorrow. But before Friday for sure :-)

Konstanty, Twinbottles

GameBoomers Rock!

Draclvr, I'd completely forgot about Peter's Puzzles so thanks for reminding me!!!

You're so sweet TwinBottles, thanks! She's got a bit of a long road but every day is a little better and that's more than we hoped for a month ago!

You're right Ana, you can't beat a boomer!!

JLD...May I add David Gray's Jigsaws to the mix. I have them, well the old ones on CD and used to play them all the time. They are great, and you can make them easy or harder as she gets better at it. What a great thought...And David's advice on how to start a puzzle is great also, what buttons to hit to make them all turn up the right way, line them up, etc.

Jody

jldcat I sent you a PM, but I have no idea if it went through. It was my first PM here on boomers and I can't even find PM panel now to check if I did it correctly oO

I hope you got it :-)


Konstanty

TwinBottles

Just below the ads at the top you will see Forum....MY PLACE. Click on My Place and the drop down menu will show "message" click on messages and you will see your PMs.

Ha! Thanks, now I see it! So PM work like private threads here. Smart!

Once again thanks!

JLD...LOL I sent you a PM also. Hope you got it!

Jody