Senior Citizens: previous to internet , other than tv newspaper what do you think homebound seniors did?

Question

Senior Citizens: previous to internet , other than tv newspaper what do you think homebound seniors did?

Answer 1

They talked on the phone and read.

Answer 2

My grandmother didn't even have a TV until later in life, she would sew, plant and keep her garden, and basically took care of her family while my Grandfather worked.  

Answer 3

They listened to soap operas on radio while doing their dishes and ironing and mending. They played solitaire and took care of their plants and gardens. They washed and hung out clothes (before dryers). They sat on the front porch and talked with neighbors. They belonged to social organizations and went to meetings and enjoyed their chances to read and rest. My grandmother embroidered and did tatting (making lace). She always managed to have a cake or something in a pot, ready to eat if we came by. I miss her still and she has been gone since the 60's.

Answer 4

Went to dances, played Bingo, went to public auctions and sales and Fairs.

Answer 5

My sister reminded me that our grandmother listened to baseball games on the radio.  She always had a glass of wine while she listened and she scored the games.  I had forgotten about that.  When we got our first television set she saw a few games in black and white.  She passed away in 1950.  She would have loved to watch the games now with all the televised choices.

She and I also played a lot of cribbage.

Answer 6

Mamma knit, crocheted, tatted.  She enjoyed making those sweaters with the fancy pictures on the backs.

I once wanted to try my hand at making the fancy ones, could not figure out how to change the colors.  Asked Mamma, and she said "You just put them in, of course!"  She didn't have the patience to teach a dumb daughter who should have known on her own.

Answer 7

maybe i run in different circles than most folks but i know a lot of home bound seniors that do not have internet -- they seem to read - saw and make crafts!!!

Answer 8

Well, My Grandmother sewed a lot - embroidery, crochet, and a little bit of knitting.  Also played board games when us kids visited her.  She read the paper daily and did the cross word puzzle.    And yes, she did have a television.    

CJ

Answer 9

Sit on the old rocking chairs out on the porch and play checkers.

Answer 10

They probably did crafts. Maybe friends and family dropped by. They may have sat in the yard, birdwatching.

You don't miss what you never had, so they didn't miss having something like the internet.

Answer 11

They probably sewed (if sight was still good), baked, knitted, read books, collected items and talked on the telephone or with neighbors.

Answer 12

Knitting - crochet - quilting - reading  are things some did and still do.

All can be done sitting down.

The Internet has been a life savor for some.

I have a relative who is handicap and blows to operate the computer.

He can't use his arms or hands.

I'm home bound for almost 6 years.  The computer is my connection to the out side world.

There is a difference to being bed ridden or home bound.

I can do things that can be done sitting down, but no cooking.  I wouldn't know if I were to burn myself and  I can't reach the stove nobs.

Happy and content home bound person.

DeeJay.

Answer 13

Back in 70s  I lived outside  town.  All neighbors  were  older persons.  We  had  to share phone lines,  party line.  Anyway I  was  dumb  and it took me  the  longest  to figure out  how  my personal life  was being  known.  So I guess some  of  them listened  in when  bored.  There  were  more  social  groups  with  churchs  and  community  activties with  the  county fair also back then.  

Answer 14

Darned  if I know I've never been home bound.

Answer 15

Listened to the radio, read something called-gasp!- BOOKS !

Answer 16

my grandmother made a lot of quilts, which she sold for hundred's of dollars

Answer 17

Read, knit-crocheted-sewed, woodwork, listened to the radio, watched tv, listened to music, telemarketing, homebased jobs like typing manuscripts and transcribing things, clipping newspaper articles for companies that collect those things, putting together jigsaw puzzles, play cards.

Answer 18

They sat in their front room and looked out the window or they sat in a rocking chair on the front porch and watched the world go by.  I remember my great-grandmother knew more about the activities of her neighbors than I cared to hear about.  That was how she passed the time.

Answer 19

Crosswords,Jigsaws,Knitting,reading,radi... If they had visitors or a partner,maybe draughts or some other board game

Answer 20

My grandparents worked well into their senior years, so they weren't housebound.  But the few elders I remember who were at home did housework, listened to the radio, sewed, read (mostly the Bible), played cards and traveled to see family if they could afford to do so.

Answer 21

Read, do puzzles, sew, cook, and bake.

Answer 22

People of my grandparents generation as seniors didn't like being idle.

It was laziness if you sat around, rather than doing something con-

structive with your time. My grandma always was working on one of

her crafts in the evening, while listening to either the radio or watching

a little tv. She would crochet, or she'd knit, and her hands were always

busy from the time she got up, to the time she went to bed. When

my grandparents were younger and not living on the farm, my grand-

ma did alot of baking. There was always something sweet to eat,

when you went to grandmas for a visit. I only lived a block away at

that time when I was little, and grandma always welcomed mother

and I with something she'd baked fresh.

   My grandpa always liked to keep busy also. He had a large work

bench with tools in his basement. And often he'd go down there and

smoke and work on something that needed fixing. People from the

Depression kept something workable til it was completely worn out.

So they were the perfect complement to each other. It wasn't until

they were in their 70's, that the activity slowed to a halt in the eve-

nings and they would both watch TV until they were too tired to

stay up. They had early rising habits and were always up before the

dawn. Living on farms twice, they had ingrained habits to milk the

cows early and turn them out to pasture. Then there was milk

separating and butter churning inside the screened in back porch,

while grandpa would feed the chickens and slop the hogs. Living on a

farm, there was always something to do. That was the last  place my

grandpa lived. And where he was happiest. My grandma moved to the

city where she could be visited by her daughters or grandchildren.

She continued to bake, but not as often. And she knitted, afghans

for members of the family. I don't think they ever knew how to fully

relax and enjoy retirement. They were part of a dying breed.