Holiday shopping is tough enough, but when trying to pick out a gift for a senior in your life that is both practical and enjoyable, it can seem impossible! Seniors have received many holiday gifts over their lifetime, so how do you select a gift that stands out? From gifts for the home to health and wellness items to hobbies, below we’ve compiled our top gifts for seniors this holiday season!
Photo Album (or Electronic Picture Frame)
Sometimes the simplest gifts pack the biggest punch. Nothing brings a smile to an older loved one quite like spending time with family. Collect recent photographs of relatives and kids and compile them in a photo album or electronic picture frame so your loved one can be reminded of family and reminisce on happy memories when they’re feeling lonely.
Tickets to Play or Concert
Many seniors would enjoy creating experiences with loved ones over receiving material gifts. If the older relative in your life is a theater or music lover, tickets to a play or concert is a great experiential gift. Try combining the tickets with a meal or coffee after the performance for more one-on-one time together.
Amazon Echo / Google Home / Apple Home Pod
Hands-free voice-controlled devices like the Amazon Echo, Google Home, or Apple Home Pod can play music, answer questions, set reminders for appointments and medications, give directions, and even be synced to your loved one’s home to do physical things like turn off lights and lock doors.
Gift Certificate for Cosmetic Services (Hair Cut, Manicure, Pedicure, etc)
Today’s seniors live busy lives and can use some help taking care of themselves. Gifting cosmetic services like a gift card to their hairdressers, manicurist, or pedicurist is a practical gift that serves a needed purpose. Mobility issues can make it difficult for seniors of all genders to groom themselves and gifting cosmetic services like these ensures they are clean and healthy.
Massage Pillow
Aches and pains are more common as we get older, and having instant relief from a massage pillow is a nice 21st-century luxury all seniors will enjoy. A massage pillow is a portable pillow that can go from a senior’s favorite armchair to a wheelchair, dining chair and more to be used on backs, shoulders, legs, and other parts of the body.
Keepsake Journals
Keepsake journals, also known as memory books, are do-it-yourself memoirs older loved ones can use to store special memories for themselves and others. There are a number of keepsake journals out there that feature guided prompts to help seniors remember and record the details of their lives for self-reflection and to pass on to the next generation to preserve their memory.
House Cleaning or Yard-Care Service
Who doesn’t need a little help around the house? Gifting house cleaning or yard care services to senior citizens who still live independently at home, but just don’t have the time or mobility to tackle, ensures their home and yard is tidy and done safely.
Ancestry.com Membership
Genealogy is a growing hobby among many senior citizens, who are interested in answering the question of who they are and where they come from. Ancestry.com makes that easy with their interactive family trees and access to billions of records from around the world. By gifting a membership, you’re giving your loved one countless hours of fun investigating their family tree and enriching their journey of self-discovery.
Audible Subscription
Who doesn’t love reading a good book? Unfortunately, as we get older, our eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be, and simple tasks like reading a book can be straining on our eyes. That’s where Audible comes into place! Owned by Amazon, Audible is a library of hundreds of thousands of audiobooks that can be played off of a computer, tablet, smartphone, or hands-free home device like Amazon Echo. Purchasing a monthly or yearly subscription for the senior in your life can entertain them all day long!
Brain Games (Jigsaw Puzzles, Crosswords, Word Searches, Sudoku, etc.)
An active mind is a healthy mind, and that’s true especially as you get older. Give the senior in your life some brain workouts by gifting them some jigsaw puzzles or big books of crosswords, word searches, and sudoku. These fun activities can be done at home or on the go, keeping brains engaged and helping older loved ones stay mentally sharp.