Mindy Trotta
It’s a pretty good assumption that our Elderly Parents (and Relatives) have more “stuff” than they need, so finding a holiday gift for them that won’t just be added to their mountains of “stuff” can be difficult. We’ve put together a collection of things that would be useful, make their lives a little bit easier, and some will even give you peace of mind. And that might just be the greatest gift of all.
The Gift of a Clean Home: As much as your parents would love their home to be spic and span, lugging that vacuum around can be a pain…literally. Hiring a cleaning crew to come in every week, every other week or every month will make them feel pampered and alleviate the need for them to throw out their backs trying to get to all those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. Molly Maid or other local services are readily available, and can work around any schedule. (By the way, judging from the way their place looked the last time we visited our kids, we can safely say that this would be a great gift for the Adult Child as well!)
The Gift of a Good Night’s Sleep: Many older people often have sleep issues and suffer from bouts of insomnia, The Sound + Sleep Machine from Ecotones offers a variety of soothing sounds that are “scientifically engineered to promote relaxation, deeper sleep, and a sense of renewal.”
The Gift of Learning: Learning never ends, and a gift of a class through One Day U would offer your parent the opportunity to be a college student for one day and learn about art, film, and perhaps even “brush up on their Shakespeare.” The classes are taught by some of the finest professors from schools like Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, and they are offered all over the country.
The Gift of Sound: One of the more frustrating things for the elderly is not being able to enjoy their favorite TV shows the way they used to. They turn the volume up and everyone else in the room gets peeved. They turn the volume down, and they can’t really hear it. Unisar BeBeSounds Wireless Headphones will alleviate that problem, and once again, peace in the home will reign.
The Gift of Discovery: Think about how often you lose or misplace things and think about how angry you become with yourself because of that. Now multiply that frustration by tenfold or more and you will know how your elderly parent feels because they misplace things a lot more often. Loc8tor Lite is an amazing little key finder and item locator that will assist them as they hunt for their lost “stuff.” It’s like a pocket Sherlock Holmes…and you might want to pick one up for yourself as well. 🙂
The Gift of Cooking: Independence is so important to seniors and yet the thought of them cooking on a gas stovetop can be frightening. This induction cooktop from DUXTOP is the perfect alternative. It is lightweight, heats up quickly, and shuts off after 60 seconds if no cookware is detected. Your parents can still give in to their culinary artistry and there’s no need to worry about unwanted fires.
The Gift of a Great Dinner: If the seniors in your family still fancy themselves gourmands, but find it hard to shop for and/or prepare the delicious meals they used to create, Blue Apron’s meals are for them. Everything needed for a tasty, nutritious meal comes delivered pre-portioned, so all you have to do is cook it. With lots of dishes and plans to choose from, the gift of Blue Apron will have your recipients eating in style.
The Gift of Family History: How wonderful would it be to present your parent with a “bookstore-quality book on premium paper with archival binding” that chronicles the history of your family, their marriage, career, etc.? Blurb is company that would help you create such a book. It would be a gift that will be looked at over and over again throughout the year.
The Gift of Connection: Many of today’s Seniors are pretty savvy: they have Facebook accounts, they Tweet regularly, and they can figure out how to work the TV (unlike “some” people). But not all of them are “hooked-up techies,” and this no doubt makes them feel disconnected and socially isolated. The Presto Printing Mailbox helps by delivering email, photos and documents without needing a computer or Internet connection.
The Gift of a Decor Change-up: If Mom or Dad’s living room could use a little cheering up, there’s nothing like a few throw pillows from Red Envelope that are personalized with some holiday sentiments to spruce up the decor, and get them in the holiday spirit. Deck the Halls or Season’s Greetings (up to three lines of message) will surely liven things up.
A Gift to Light Their Way: Seniors are often getting up in the middle of the night or padding around their rooms at all hours. The thought of them falling in the dark and possibly breaking a hip (or worse) is terrifying. Bright Feet Lighted Slippers will light their way and help them reach their destination so they won’t have to “run” the risk of having an accident.
PaceMaker “Journey” Antishock Trekking Poles: Perfect for those who need assistance with walking/hiking but don’t like the stigma attached to using a cane. Now they can look “active” rather than “crotchety.”
FitBit Zip Wireless Activity Tracker This activity tracker proves you’re never too old to be on the path to fitness. It’s more than a pedometer–tracks steps, distance, and calories burned. And, they come in great colors!
Have you got any ideas you’d like to share with us? Please let us know in the comments below.