Gift Ideas for the Elderly

Inspiration and Recommendations

Is deciding on gift ideas for the elderly as hard for you as it is for most people?

Gifts for elderly can be so difficult to pick out! They seem to have everything already.

And when you ask them for ideas, they usually have trouble coming up with any suggestions.

Well, I'm here to help! I have a bunch of suggestions of gift ideas for the elderly from seniors themselves.

Most of the seniors I've talked to do not want big expensive gifts but more thoughtful gifts - especially those that involve spending more time with their friends and family.

There are over 50+ ideas organized in categories below so I'm sure you'll find at least two or three that will be perfect for the elderly in your life.

How Did I Get Interested in Gifts for Elderly?

I have worked with groups of elderly for many years. One thing I noticed - every time my Granny's birthday approached - is how hard it is to get suggestions for gift ideas for the elderly from seniors themselves.

One year I was desperate for a good suggestion. Since my Granny lives far away and had a birthday coming up, I decided to press the group for more specific suggestions.

I posed the question, "What would you like as a gift from friends or family?" and have now asked this question to many groups over the years.

The resounding message I got was that seniors appreciated time with loved ones above any other gift ideas for the elderly.

Although this is very sweet, I wanted to send my Granny an actual gift. So I pressed on.

At this point, Ralph told me he'd like a red truck. He became wistful and said "I've always wanted a red truck." I laughed and re-phrased my question and asked, "If I was going to spend between $20 and $200 and you HAD to name a gift you'd like, what would it be?"

Though the group still maintained that they value time with family the most, they were able to give me some gift ideas for the elderly. I'm going to share their gift suggestions below as well as some of my own.

Gifts of Time and Service

As many seniors already have more than what they need, the gift of your time is often the best thing you can offer.

Here are some practical gift ideas for the elderly that involve (mostly) giving them your time:

• Simply spending time together in any way
• Time in the form of service such as:
• Doing chores: often doing laundry becomes difficult. Changing lightbulbs or cleaning drainpipes can be dangerous for seniors because of decreased balance or dizziness.
• Taking them grocery shopping
• Taking them to the pharmacist
• Offering to take them to scheduled Doctor's appointments
• Driving them to the mall once a week for a safe place to go for a walk (and then visiting with them while they walk)
• Making small meals for their freezer that can be easily warmed up
• Bringing them leftovers
• Inviting them to family meals
• Baking fresh cookies (my granny loves this one!) or goodies
• Taking them out for a coffee, dinner or lunch
• Going to a ballgame
• Lessons on how to use the computer or internet
• Attending a community event: music, school plays, etc.

Any way to give your time to ease or brighten their lives is a gift.

Fun Gifts

• Playing card holder
• Large button, universal, "easy" TV remote
• Games such as Rummy-o, Fishin'opoly or Rummoli
• Digital picture frame (make sure to load it and set it up for them)
• Mental Aerobics books, a good author is Nancy J. Lewthwaite
• Crossword or Suduko books
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Nice deck of cards
• Subscription to services like Netflix or Sirius Radio (this was a senior's idea, really!)
• Personalized notepads: either with the senior's name or with pictures of your family along the bottom or top
• Gift certificate for a night away in a hotel
• Supplies for any craft, sport or interest

Functional/Safety Gifts

Gift ideas for the elderly can also be functional.

• Flip up ice-spike for canes during winter months
• Transportation vouchers
• Mobility and bathroom products for the elderly make great gifts, such as:
• Rollator walker
• Long-handled shoe horn
• Long-handled reacher
• Hip protectors
• Bed rail
• Providing or paying for grocery delivery

Gifts to Keep Brains Active

• Mental aerobics books, a good author is Nancy J. Lewthwaite
• Crossword or Suduko books
• Jigsaw puzzles
• A subscription to a magazine of interest (ie. Hunting, gardening, cooking). This is also a monthly reminder to your loved one that you are thinking of them.
• Sign up to learn a new language, together.

Anything that involves learning something new that keeps their brain healthy make great gifts for elderly.

Gifts to Keep Bodies Active

• Gym pass
• Gift certificate for a personal trainer who is certified to work with seniors
• Video for chair exercises, Tai Chi, Senior Yoga, Senior Exercises, etc.
• Vouchers for senior's yoga or other exercise classes
• Anything to make walking outdoors safer:
• Cane
• Ice-spike attachment for canes for the winter
• Non-slip shoe covers such as Yak Trax

Other Gift Ideas

• Flowers
• A single rose
• Nuts (Just kidding, this is what we would always get my grandpa as kids and I've never heard a senior suggest this gift)
• Nice Socks (the group made sure to let me know to mention that some people can't wear nylon); warm socks are often a nice treat
• Books - reading and picture
• Silk scarf
• Gift certificate to a store or their favourite restaurant
• Calendars with pictures of you and your family
• Nice pen and paper set
• A subscription to a magazine of interest (ie. Hunting, gardening, cooking). This is also a monthly reminder to your loved one that you are thinking of them.
• If your loved one likes to be pampered, you can consider manicures, pedicures or other spa treatments.
• Gift certificates for getting their hair done.
• Nail care products
• Nice pair of mittens or gloves for colder climates
• Sun hat for warmer climates
• Nice fleece blanket or sweater
• Chocolate (mmm.. who doesn't love chocolate?)
• Jewellery
• Cookbook with recipes specific to healthy eating for seniors
• A bright water bottle to encourage drinking more fluids (Note: If your loved one has heart disease, adrenal or thyroid disease, kidney or liver disease, they might need to drink less. Consult with their Doctor.)

Top Ten Favourite Gift Suggestions

Other than spending time with your loved one, here are the top 10 gift ideas for the elderly:

1. Calendars with pictures of you and your family
2. A subscription to a magazine of interest (ie. Hunting, gardening, cooking) This is also a monthly reminder to your loved one that you are thinking of them.
3. Photo albums - labeled and dated
4. Non-slip shoe covers such as Yak Trax
5. Personal trainer that works specifically with seniors
6. Books: reading, picture or large print
7. Making small freezable meals or fresh baked cookies
8. Large button, universal, "easy" TV remote
9. Sunglasses that fit-over their regular glasses
10. Headsets for TV, radio or stereo so a person with decreased hearing can adjust the volume in the headset louder so they can hear properly. These make excellent gifts for seniors both for the person wearing the headset as well as those listening with them as they can listen to the radio or TV at a regular volume level.

Like Caring-for-Aging-Parents.com?