My dad passed away from COVID three years ago on January 7th. Although I believe in God, I'm not religious to where I watch religious programs. Everytime I visit my mom, we are watching the same thing over and over again. I stress always before coming over. If I go to visit her, she puts on religious programs or any program or show, she tells me I have to watch. When she visits me, she puts the TV on religious or other programs and expects me to watch it here too. I don't know what to do. I am a 55 year old lady.
At your house, lose the remote when she is coming to visit. Or tell her NO TV when she is there to visit. It's your house. Or suck it up and watch for a bit then tell her you have things to do or play on your phone or read or whatever so you don't have to actually watch it.
If you are just done with this being forced to watch tv thing, you can set a boundary. Unless she has dementia, then you are kind of stuck and your only option is to limit your visits. Boundary could be something like "I want to come visit you tomorrow but I do not want to watch TV. I want to play a game (or whatever you want to do instead)." Or give her 2 or 3 choices of something else to do. Tell her if she turns the tv on, you will find something else to do. Like go home.
This would drive me crazy!
Stay as long as you wish, then leave. It’s difficult to watch our parents get stuck in a rut. Even more difficult to watch them decline.
So sorry for the loss of your dad. Best wishes to you and your mom.
Your Mom clearly isn't quite right, and she really isn't in control of the niceities of things anymore. She has this habit and intends to stick to it.
I am assuming you have tried EVERYTHING
Reading to her
Listening to true crime podcasts (hee hee would work for me)
Doing a puzzle
Playing a very simple board game
anything else you can come up with. If none of that works and she won't take a walk with you or go to visit the ice cream parlor I am afraid you are stuck with religion and politics. I could take anything for an hour. Even religion and politics.
And just a few times a week.
Tell Mom that you will visit a bit more frequently when you can put on Judge Judy!