gift ideas

It’s hard to shop for the person who has everything, and by the time people are a bit older they usually have just that. You probably have heard your grandparents or other elderly family and friends say that they don’t need any gifts, and truthfully, they probably don’t. But, everyone loves to give gifts and no matter how old you are it’s nice to get gifts, too. Below, I’ve created a list of great gifts for senior adults so you can hopefully find the perfect gifts for the seniors in your life.

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Gifts of Time

Gifts of time and activities are one of the best types of gifts for seniors, or anyone, really. If you are lucky enough to live close to your grandparents or other elderly persons in your life, these may be just the ideas for you. If you’re farther away and aren’t able to see them in person, check out the categories below.

• Go for a Drive-Many seniors spend much of their time at home, especially if they’re in a nursing home or assisted living, so getting out to see the sights is a treat. Due to mobility issues and more, it’s not always easy to go on outings when people get more elderly, but it’s always worth it.

• Lunch-While you’re out and about, why not take them to get a fancy coffee or a nice lunch?

• Plant Flowers-If they’re able, take seniors to a greenhouse to pick out some flowers, or choose some on your own. Head back to their home and help them plant the flowers in an area where they can view them from a window.

• Home Repairs and Improvements-Does your friend or relative need safety railings added to their shower? Do they have a leaky faucet that needs repair? Does the shed need a new coat of paint? Often, these jobs that senior citizens could once easily do are not so simple anymore. Ask if they need any home repairs or improvements done, or see if you notice anything that needs sprucing up or that could be safer. Many of these could be DIY, but if not, hire a reputable company to lend some help.

• Cooking and Baking-Maybe grandma is still having a great time cooking up a storm as always, but if that’s not the case it may be nice to go help her cook, bake, or even bring food over to her. Elderly adults may not have the energy or desire to cook anymore, and not cooking leads to not eating (or eating unhealthy meals), which leads to deteriorating health. Keep the seniors in your life happy and healthy with some hearty meals. (If grandma and/or grandpa live far away, consider sending them a Spoonful of Comfort meal!)

• Home Chores-Shoveling, lawn care, and housekeeping are laborious chores for people of any age, but for senior adults some of these may not even be possible to attempt. To assist them, take on one or more of these chores yourself, but don’t get burned out! If it becomes too much or you don’t live nearby, hire companies to do these services. Always be sure to check reviews, the BBB, and more to ensure that these are legitimate and trustworthy companies. You don’t want anyone taking advantage of the elderly.

• Outings-Take a trip to the zoo, a local park, or botanical garden. As I said before, I know outings with older adults may not be simple, but just know they do appreciate you taking time to spend with them, and you’ll enjoy it, too.

Gifts for Seniors to Enjoy Indoors

If your elderly loved one is unable to get outdoors much or just doesn’t enjoy doing so any more, these ideas are great options for them.

• Window Clings-You can often pick up seasonal window clings at Walmart or other stores to help cheer up a room.

• Storyworth-This is my favorite gift idea. Storyworth is a subscription that sends questions the recipient via email for them to answer. Once they have completed a year’s worth of questions, they get compiled into a book, creating their autobiography. Learn more about it (and save $10!) here! You can also check out my list of other great subscriptions here.

• Cards and Other Games-Is grandma the card shark of the nursing home? Pick her up some new cards or get her hooked on a new game of Uno or Bananagrams.

• Coloring Books-Pick up a new pack of markers or crayons to gift with it.

• Photo Book-Creating a photo book with Shutterfly is the perfect gift for any grandparent or elderly friend or relative. They are much easier to see and hold than on a phone, and it’s a great way for them to share the pictures with other friends and relatives.

• Magazine Subscription-There’s a magazine out there for every interest. Some subscriptions even come in large print options, too, and they are a budget-friendly gift option.

• Puzzle-The perfect gift to do on their own or with a group. Puzzles are especially popular at senior centers and assisted living homes, so it’s a gift they can share if they would like to as well.

• Plants-Any low maintenance plant helps cheer up a space and makes a dandy gift.

• Personalized Calendar-Creating a custom calendar for older friends and relatives is a great way to help them keep track of holidays, events, birthdays and more, while also having beautiful family photos to see.

• Lotion-Just because their getting older doesn’t mean self care goes out the window! Grab their favorite kind of lotion or give a new one a try. According to this RealSimple article “the main concern with patients in their 60s and beyond is lack of hydration and moisture retention”, so it makes for a very useful gift.

• Books-If your parents, grandparents, or any other senior adult on your gift list loves to read as much as my grandma did, then books are a great option!

• New Placemats/Tablecloth-The placemats and tablecloths that adorn your elder’s table may be older than you. Spiff things up a bit by getting them some new table linens. You can even DIY these if you enjoy sewing.

• Perfume-Change up the scent or get one of your loved ones favorites.

• Puzzle Books-You can often find may puzzle books in large print for older adults who may have trouble with their eyesight. This is also an inexpensive gift for senior adults if you’re on a budget.

• Towels-Out with the old, in with the new! That is, if they approve! Just like the placemats and table cloths, your grandparents, great aunts and uncles, parents, and more, may have towels that are up there in age. I remember my grandma and I went through a catalog to pick out new towels and bathroom accessories she wanted to order, and she was pretty excited about getting things spruced up. Not sure if they’d like it? Just ask.

• Digital Photo Frame-Keep the senior adults in your life up to date with the latest pictures from all their friends and relatives by purchasing a frame that can receive pictures via email. I have not purchased this frame yet, but it has amazing reviews.

• Kid’s Artwork Book-If Grandpa Pete or Great Aunt Mary are running out of room on their refrigerator for more kid’s art, you can take those masterpieces and create a book for them to view all the creativity of their grandkids and great nieces and nephews in one place!

• Candies-Who doesn’t like a box of chocolates or their favorite sweet treat as a gift?

Outdoor Gifts for Seniors

The best part of these gifts is they can be enjoyed inside or outside, so no matter what your recipient’s preference is, they’ll get a useful gift they can appreciate.

• Humming Bird Feeder-My grandma enjoyed watching humming birds. The great thing about watching humming birds, or birds at any feeder for that matter, is that you can watch them from inside if the the feeder is in front of a window, or you can sit on your porch and view them as well.

• Cane-An odd gift? Maybe. Useful? Definitely. If the senior adult on your shopping list uses a cane to assist them, why not make sure they’re using a pretty one? My grandma had one with butterflies on it and got many compliments about it. I’d imagine that if someone reluctant to use a cane got compliments about theirs, it may just encourage them to use it more often and be safer by doing so.

• Professional Photography Session-A perfect gift for the senior who has everything. Maybe they’d like to get spiffed up and have a session by themselves, with their spouse, or with the kids, grandkids, dogs, cats, parrots, or whatever else they may have. It’s a fantastic reason to get dolled up and a great memory to have as well.
  
• Flowers-Have your recipient pick out flowers they’d like or choose some on your own to plant for them in a pot or outdoor planter box.

• Flags-If your grandparents and elderly relatives need a new flag for outside, this would make a useful gift for them.

• Metal Birds-I really love these. They are just metal bird shapes that can be pounded into trees or posts for decoration. They don’t take up much room, look really unique, and come in a variety of species. I got this one on Etsy for my dad.

• Garden Flags-Many box stores and shops sell small garden or decorative flags throughout the seasons. They add a cute addition to any outdoor area.

This gift list has a variety of ideas for senior adults, grandparents, elderly neighbors, parents, aunts, uncles and more, but more than likely the gift they’ll most appreciate is your time. If you’re nearby, go visit them. If you’re far away, take time to call, FaceTime (some seniors are more tech savvy than you think, and many nursing homes can help set up calls for you), and send a card.