Choosing a gift for an elderly relative or friend may be quite a daunting task. Most people in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s may be living in small homes or nursing homes. The main criteria for a gift are not its beauty and price, but its practicality and comfort. Most often gifts of companionship and spending time together are valued much more than tangible gifts.
Here are a few ideas for gifts for the elderly:
- Gift baskets: Agift basket assembled at home with items bought from a gourmet store or a supermarket is very good idea as it can be customized for the recipient. Ideas for gift baskets include Reader’s gift basket (magazines, books, magnifier, hot chocolate or coffee), Memories basket (photos of family, art work by grand children, address book with names and contact details ) and Relaxation gift basket (bathing lotions, bubble bath or oils in favourite fragrances, a CD of relaxing music, couple of soft hand towels, chamomile tea and tea cup). Make use of hamper delivery in UK for sending these to loved ones far away.
- Gifts of food and beverages: Shopping for food for the elderly is difficult because of their dietary restrictions. If food is perishable, it is best to gift a small quantity. Items include a bottle of red wine, coffee, tea or hot chocolate, favourite brands of chocolates, a basket of fresh, seasonal fruit and homemade cookies.
- Restaurants and gift cards: An elderly person who is mobile will appreciate a gift card to a favourite coffee shop or restaurant. Eating out is usually out of the reach of those with a fixed income. Gifting cost of transport is a bonus; you can drive him or her to the place yourself or arrange for a cab.
- Tickets to events: The elderly also have cut down on their attending favourite events like concert, films and plays. You can gift them tickets for the same, especially for an event featuring a favourite actor or performer.
- Special playing cards: For elderly with failing vision, playing cards of big sizes are suitable. Automatic card holders or shufflers can relieve stress on hands affected by arthritis. There are different types of card holders: hand held or table placed.
Jigsaw puzzles are also loved by the elderly. They have adult themes and large designs. They are suitable for low vision and arthritic hands.
- Audio books, Game books, MP3 player: Audio books are ideal for those with vision issues. Game books come in large sizes to suit elderly players and enhance their cognitive function. Games include Sudoku, Crossword, Word Search, etc. MP3 players provide lots of music from a small device. Get it uploaded with favourite tunes before gifting it to the loved one.
- Assistive items: For the elderly, there are a number of practical and useful items to suit their daily needs. These needs include poor vision (over sized calculator, clock, watch, magnifying glass for reading, head lamp), hearing impairment ( personal headphones, light systems for alarms and door bells, amplified telephone, etc), stiff joints (electric scissors, can or jar openers, elastic shoe laces, comb with long handle, etc) and limited mobility (wheel chair clips, grabber, bed rails etc.)
These are some ideas for giving gifts to the elderly.