Yes, the Christmas season is here, and everyone is looking forward to a “Holly Jolly Christmas.” As the season approaches, the Santa Claus inside us all starts searching for the perfect gifts for seniors in our families. How special it is to see young children unwrapping presents at Christmas with a sense of wonder and excitement! When playing Santa Claus, we want the older adults we love to experience that same wide-eyed enthusiasm. After all, we feel inspired through the joy a thoughtful gift can bring.
But what if that joy is overshadowed by the difficulty of gift-giving for a person who seems hard to please? Sometimes we don’t have any idea what gift would be bring a sense of joy, especially when thinking of the right gifts for seniors in our lives. Our loved ones’ lives are changing as they grow older, and the changes may be difficult for us to understand or accept, and their changing lifestyles may make it much harder to shop for them. When seniors are downsizing their own belongings or when seniors’ mental or physical status no longer allows them to enjoy activities that used to interest them, gift-giving can become hard work rather than a joyful experience.
We’re here to help you this holiday season! Let’s re-think finding the right gifts for seniors by thinking about the life changes our seniors are experiencing and re-thinking the types of gifts that will be meaningful for them. Searching the Internet will give you lots of ideas for gifts for seniors, but many of these ideas involve computer technology that may be foreign to your loved one or electronic gadgets that may be difficult for them to see or to learn to use. Gift cards always come to mind as gifts as well, but if your loved one is no longer driving, a gift card to a restaurant or for other outings will be difficult to use.
Time is always the best gift you can give anyone. Your loved ones’ Christmas wish list probably has a visit with you at the very top of the page! With busy lives, we don’t always have the time we’d like to spend with our loved ones. The ideas below may help you think of unique ways to incorporate your personal touch and the gift of your time to choose the perfect gifts for seniors in your life. Merry Christmas!
Even when you don’t have a lot of time to spend with loved ones, here are some ideas to make the time you do spend together a special holiday treat.
- A hand massage is always a great way to spend some time together. Using lavender-scented (or other calming scent) lotion or oil is great aromatherapy that provides a soothing sensory experience that complements the massage.
- Home cooking can’t be beat! If your loved one has a favorite meal, make that meal for her and have dinner together. The comfort food will be even more delicious when shared together.
- How about some trivia? Find trivia questions online or from popular trivia games that are related to your loved one’s generation or his particular interests or hobbies. You may be surprised at how much you learn during the process!
- Plan a movie night. Does your favorite senior have a favorite movie (or two or three)? Get together to watch the movie and make the evening a real treat with theater-style popcorn and candy.
- For seniors who love to read but have vision problems, reading aloud could be the perfect gift. Maybe your loved one has favorite Bible verses, or perhaps there’s a short story or magazine article your loved one would enjoy. Read together and have a conversation about what you read.
- If you are having a hard time choosing just one of these activities, don’t choose! Instead, make a coupon booklet for your loved one to redeem for each of the activities listed above throughout the coming year.
You may be spending much of your time planning for your future and your children’s futures. Having older adults as part of your family during the holidays, though, can provide a perfect incentive for you to look back. Memories you share are a huge part of your loved ones’ legacy. Show them how they have impacted your life.
- Choose photos to put in an album to highlight special memories. You can include descriptions of each photo and explain why these pictures are so special. You may want to divide photos by topics such as “what I learned from you” or “our favorite family vacations.”
- If your loved one has keepsakes put away, make a scrapbook of special events and memories from her life. You can also include items such as drawings from grandchildren and quotes or cartoons that your loved one would like.
- Request that friends and other family members tell you something about your loved one and what he has meant to them or to tell you a favorite story about him. Compile these comments and stories in an album or journal along with pictures of her friends and family.
We can’t forget about technology since it’s so prevalent in our lives, but let’s make it easy-to-use and personalized!
- Some seniors are more tech savvy than others. If your loved one has a smartphone or other electronic device that he doesn’t fully understand how to use, give him a technology lesson. Show him how to use facetime to talk with grandchildren or show him how to access games on his new tablet.
- Odds are pretty good that seniors in their 80s and older haven’t had the opportunity recently to listen to the music they enjoyed as young adults. Radio stations don’t play the music from her generation, and online music applications won’t work for seniors who are not computer literate. Consider purchasing an mp3 player and downloading music you know she enjoys. Get her some comfortable headphones (ear buds may not be the best choice for a senior) or some speakers that are easy to use. Make it easy so all she has to do is turn it on and enjoy.
- Older folks may even have a difficult time enjoying television and movies at home. DVDs can become hard to handle, and tv and accessory remote controls can be extremely confusing. Maybe getting her a smart tv coupled with a Netflix or other streaming subscription that you manage online would be a good solution. That way, you can select shows and films via your computer for his viewing pleasure. You may also want to try to make the remote control easier to use. Simplified and big-button remote controls are commercially available for television and DVD/cable/satellite (www.flipperremote.com and www.bigbuttonremotes.com are two options). If you’re really creative and handy with electronics, you may want to try this modification one man used for his mom’s remote. Once you set her up with some pre-selected movies and shows for streaming and a remote she can easily operate, she’ll be ready to enjoy.
If you’re buying your Christmas gifts, here are some gift ideas for the older loved ones in your family.
- Purchase a comfortable pillow for bed or for sitting up for reading or watching television. A neck pillow, especially for people who use wheelchairs often, can also make them much more comfortable.
- When your feet are cold, you are cold all over. Bring the warmth of the season to your loved ones with a pair of non-skid foot warmers/socks.
- Music can be the perfect way to brighten the mood, lift the spirit, and get us all moving. Now, dementia patients can enjoy music that provides comfort on multiple levels. At Alzheimer’s Music Connect, you can purchase technologically-enhanced music that assists in increasing brain activity by connecting to deep memories while heightening relaxation and calming experiences.
- How about getting your loved one a magazine subscription to give them entertainment throughout the coming year. Many magazines now come in a large-print version for those with vision problems, and you can find magazines on a variety of topics so one is sure to be perfect for your loved one.
- Though we are used to staying in touch by texting, emailing, or by using social media, our older loved ones grew up in an era where the post office kept you in contact with family and friends. Buy your loved one some stationery, pens, greeting cards, envelopes, and stamps to make it easy for her to send notes to family members and friends.
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