I like the embroidered block idea, I've been doing a snowman one & a kewpie doll one, works great for when you're travelling. There are alot of free redwork patterns available, you could cut the blocks & trace the patterns onto them (in your spare time :roll: ) and then when you manage some time together, you could enjoy making them all into a quilt ?? Is this a possibility?
I have an ongoing english paperpiecing hexagon project that I take along sometimes .... it's quite mindless though & wouldn't really help to take her mind off things.
Sorry for your Dad.