It’s that time again … time to shop and find the perfect gifts for seniors and everyone on your list. Before stressing out about what to get mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa, however, take a look at some ideas that can help minimize the stress and bring big smiles from senior loved ones.
6 Wonderful Gifts for Seniors
Rechargeable hand warmers
Cold winter weather and the holidays go hand-in-hand and that can be especially hard on seniors. According to the nia.nih.gov article, “Cold Weather Safety for Older Adults,” aging can make it more difficult to recognize how cold is too cold, and medications and medical conditions can also increase sensitivity to cold. For many seniors, keeping hands warm can really help so a gift of rechargeable hand warmers is not only thoughtful, but also healthful. Seniors with arthritis will also love holding hand warmers to help ease the pain and stiffness.
Rechargeable handwarmers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be slipped into mittens and pockets where they keep fingers warm and cozy during walks, outside chores, and other winter activities. For an overview of the highest-rated hand warmers, check out the buyereviews.com article “10 Best Rechargeable Hand Warmers.”
Coffee subscriptions
Enjoying a morning cup of coffee is something many seniors consider mandatory, so make sure your senior loved one never runs out of coffee with a gift subscription to a coffee club. Whether they prefer fresh ground beans or pre-ground, drip or espresso, caffeinated or decaffeinated, there’s a coffee subscription that will fit and a variety of cost points for those on a budget. The nymag.com article, “The Very Best Coffee-Subscription Clubs,” provides a look at top options.
Wireless trackers
Losing keys, phones, remotes, wallets, and other essential items can be a real headache for anyone and seniors will especially appreciate how a wireless tracker can simplify life. Among the best for finding lost items right at home are Bluetooth trackers, which the pcmag.com article, “The Best Bluetooth Trackers for 2024,” notes are not only helpful but inexpensive. On a broader scale, GPS trackers are awesome for finding items geographically like cars in a busy mall parking lot, lost pets, and smaller items left behind at a store or a restaurant. For a complete look at the possibilities, the wired.com article, “The Best Trackers to Help You Find Your Keys, Dog, or Kid,” can help make the perfect choice for a loved one.
Power banks/chargers
Make sure your senior loved one never finds themselves away from home with a dead phone by giving them a power bank or charger. These handy little power sources can be kept in a purse, pocket, drawer, or glove box and offer cable connections for different devices, a range of recharging speeds, and power that can make a difference when it’s needed most. Before buying take a look at the options in the tomsguide.com article, “The 9 best power banks and portable chargers in 2024 — November top picks.”
Robot vacuum
When a senior struggles with housekeeping chores, there’s one that often tops the difficulty list and that’s vacuuming. Pushing and pulling even the lightest vacuum cleaner can be a real hardship for seniors with arthritis or mobility problems so a robot vacuum might just be the best gift they could receive. Although robot vacuums have been available for years, the technology has never been better, especially for those with open spaces in their homes. For a look at how robot vacuums work best, the howtogeek.com article, “8 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Robot Vacuum,” spells it out.
Indoor gardens
For seniors who love to garden, winter can seem to last forever, but one way to fill the void is with an indoor garden. Although herbs are among the top plants to grow indoors, other choices can include small flowering plants, fruit-bearing plants like strawberries, and microgreens. As described in the bhg.com article, “The 11 Best Indoor Garden Systems of 2024, According to Testing,” indoor gardens can sit on a tabletop, shelf, or counter, can use soil or hydroponics for the growing media, and there are even programmable options that provide water and light as needed.
For those who want a new gardening experience, a mushroom-growing kit can provide hours of amazement and plenty of fresh mushrooms to enjoy. If a senior loved one loves to cook and try new things, consider one of the more unusual mushroom growing kits in the goodhousekeeping.com article, “6 Best Mushroom Growing Kits in 2024, According to Experts.”
At Ganton’s Senior Living, we wish the gift of joy to all our residents and their families during this holiday season. For more information about Countryside, please call Margaret Nagel at (517) 206-5000 or download our brochure to learn about our care levels, cost, and amenities.
