Gift Ideas for the Elderly

For special occasions, it's sometimes difficult to think of gift ideas for the elderly. Many older seniors seem to have everything they need and often say there is not anything they want. Others have downsized, limiting the space they have to display gifts or store gadgets. Read on for unique gift ideas for those special elderly people in your life.

Flip through this slideshow for great gift ideas for elderly women.

Gifts That Have Special Meaning

Whether you are giving a gift to a dear parent or grandparent, an older relative or an elderly neighbor, you want the gift to have special meaning for the receiver.

Many of the elderly are on limited or fixed incomes, and find it difficult to afford many of the things that they once enjoyed such as special food items, visits to the hair dresser or afternoons at a museum.

Others may have physical limitations that stop them from activities and hobbies that they once loved, such as reading or gardening. They may not be aware of a new gadget that would help them to enjoy these favorite pastimes again.

Gift Ideas for Seniors on a Limited Income

Other gift ideas for the elderly can center on treats they can enjoy but won't or can't spend money on. Make a gift basket of special food items, for example. Depending on the senior’s likes and any special dietary restrictions, the gift basket could include anything from home made zucchini bread to smoked oysters.

Here are several ideas of food items to include in gift baskets:

• • Flavored coffees, teas or cocoas
  • Regular or sugar-free candies
  • Dried or candied fruit
  • Varieties of honey
  • Almond or cashew butter
  • A favorite ethnic food
  • Homemade cookies and breads

Another great way to give food as a gift is to prepare homemade items in small amounts. Most elderly people do not have big appetites, but still enjoy delicious homemade foods. Bake foods such as pumpkin bread or pound cake in individual serving bunt pans, and pack each one in small freezer containers. This way your loved one can have a delicious homemade dessert anytime. You can do the same thing with special favorite foods and dinners.

Gift cards are another way to treat a senior with limited funds. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Gift cards to a favorite restaurant, the movies or salon
• Gift cards to a favorite store with the offer to take your loved one shopping
• Prepayment of a service such as cleaning, lawn care or the telephone bill

If your loved one enjoys sending cards or letters, put together a small basket containing stamps, pretty return address labels, stationary and envelopes.

Specialized Gadgets

Many people are not aware of specialized items that may be useful to them in some way or that help them to live more comfortably with physical limitations. Here a few gift ideas for the elderly that really help them maintain independence.

• For a senior with vision problems, the Senior Super Store offers talking alarm clocks, thermometers and bathroom scales. There's even a talking RX prescription reminder that attaches to a pill container. The prescription reminder tells you what the pill is for, how many pills to take and when to take them. The prescription information is recorded into the device by the pharmacist or a physician.
• For elderly people who love books but have difficulty seeing the print, audio and large print books make great gifts.
• Wireless systems for listening to the television or favorite music are also compatible with more than 5,000 movie theaters that are equipped for the hearing-impaired.
• Oxo Good Grips makes a full line of gardening tools with large handles making it easier to garden with arthritic hands.

More Gift Ideas for the Elderly

Visit these websites for additional ideas.

• Senior Super Stores
• First Street online
• Senior Store
• Gold Violin
• Well Haven

Gifts for the elderly do not always have to be for a special occasion such as birthdays or holidays. A just because gift, given out of love for the person, is often one of the most memorable gifts you can give. Taking your special senior out to dinner, visiting with them at their home or taking them to yours for the day is giving the gift of yourself. Time with the people they love is what many people really enjoy the most.

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