Holiday Gifts for Seniors

Store shelves are stocked to the hilt, holiday flyers and catalogues arrive with your morning paper, and the annual quandary emerges once again: What to give Mom and Dad?

How do we show appreciation and caring when seniors say that they already have too much stuff? Nor does it help the harried gift-giver when people say, " Whatever you get me will be fine," or, "I don't need anything."

Here are some ways to put a great gift under the tree for your parents or other seniors in your life.

Talking tree ornament - have grandkids or other family members record a Christmas message.
Birthday newspaper - a framed display of headlines from the year your parent was born.
Birth- or landmark-year CD - these include top hits from the year of your parent's birth. Or pick another landmark date in their life: the year they married, or finished school.
Design your own coupons - for trips to the mall, snow shoveling, or other gifts of time.
Greeting cards or note paper, stamped and pre-addressed to family or friends. Make it easier for your parent to write a note and send it off.
Prepaid phone cards or calling plan - many seniors still avoid long distance calls due to memories of high cost!

For older persons with physical limitations:

A large button remote or universal remote with lighted display
For diabetics, a healthy-eating gourmet cookbook (or prepared foods). Or give foot care supplies or certificates.
Treat arthritis sufferers to a hot wax treatment for their hands or feet, or buy them Good Grips� utensils
Pay for yard maintenance, housekeeping or companion help
Give taxi or other transportation vouchers or bus tickets.
Select assistive devices or mobility aids inside or outside the home.

If your family plans to pool resources for a larger gift, consider:

The gift of travel - a plane ticket to visit a distant friend or relative, or a tour designed with older persons in mind.
Seasons' tickets or subscriptions
Computer or fax machine to share photos and messages
Larger-screen TV, to watch DVD's of classic movies and sports or art events
A digital frame, that plays a slide show of multiple digital photos
Cordless phone

With gifts of conveniences, experiences, or connectedness, you can please most of the people most of the time - even the person who "has everything". Happy gift-giving!

Vol. 3, No. 24
� ElderWise Inc. 2007.

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