Looking for last-minute gift suggestions for your elderly loved ones? Elderly relatives can be difficult to buy for. Many don’t want or need the latest iPhone, and they can be difficult to shop for. We’ve compiled a list of the best holiday gifts for your elderly loved ones. These gifts will help them continue to live independently. (Unless, of course, they want the latest iPhone. Then get them an iPhone!)
Elderly Care Mobility Gifts
If your elderly loved one wants to continue living at home, but has mobility issues; there are many adaptive solutions that can help them a great deal. Having in-home senior care can help with many issues, but there are other ways a senior can be helped to live independently. From on-the-go solutions to products for their home; here are a few suggestions for gifts to help elderly people with their mobility.
Able Life Universal Stand Assist
Many elderly people have a difficult time standing up from a chair. But lift chairs can be prohibitively expensive, and many seniors already have a favorite chair that they don’t want to give up. This lightweight aluminum frame snaps together and fits outside the frame of the chair, creating a stable surface for the senior to push against when standing up.
Rollator
You’ve seen these around, but may not have known what they are called. A “walker with wheels,” the Rollator can help an elderly person who is somewhat mobile, but who needs a little extra stability to walk. The advantage of a rollator is that it can double as a seat when your elderly relative needs to take a break from walking. Look for a model with a storage compartment under the seat so your loved one can carry a purse or other needs. Most rollators fold up to go in the car. Make sure the model you choose is lightweight enough to lift and has brakes that can be locked. Rollators can vary a great deal in price, so you may want to shop around a bit.
Rollator Accessories
Look, this may not seem like the most important part of their mobility, but in order for an elderly person to walk more than a few steps with a rollator on a regular basis, they’re going to need a cup holder. Many seniors use their rollators to help them carry their meals from the kitchen to where they’ll be eating, and balancing a drink on the seat can end in a spilled drink and a cleanup. You can also personalize a rollator with padded covers, oxygen tank holders, purse hooks, and more.
Staying in Touch with Elderly in Home Care
One thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us is to get over our hesitance about video calls. While it’s not the same as an in-person visit, it can be nice to chat with loved ones over video. But technology can be difficult for elderly people living alone, so it’s important that whatever video call system you use is as easy to use as possible. The ViewClix digital picture frame can also serve as a safe video call machine. It works on wi-fi, and needs to be set up to allow family members to call, (something an in-home care aide can help with) but it allows you to wirelessly send photos to your loved ones screen as well as video calling. The Amazon Echo Show also has similar features.
A Little Indulgence for Those in Elderly Care
It’s always a good idea to consider that your elderly relatives may not want “stuff,” meaning objects they’ll keep in their home, and many seniors who have downsized may not have any room for new things. So you may want to consider something consumable as a gift, a treat that won’t take up permanent space in their home, but that they’ll enjoy while it lasts. Places like Harry and David and Hickory Farms are famous for their high-quality gifts, but you don’t need to spend that much to make your elderly loved ones happy. Consider buying some packages of snack-sized goodies at the supermarket and sending a DIY gift basket. Many seniors like having a small snack between meals, and even a little package of crackers can feel like a treat.
Elderly Care Gifts for People With Memory Issues
If your elderly loved one is one of the growing numbers of seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or other cognitive impairments; gift-giving might seem more difficult. We’ve put together a separate guide for gifts for elderly people with Alzheimer’s. But there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Keep technology simple and to a minimum. Keep a copy of all instructions for yourself for later reference.
- Photos of loved ones make a great gift. But make sure to label each photo with the names of everyone in the photo.
- What makes an appropriate gift may depend somewhat on what stage their Alzheimer’s is in.
Home Care Powered by AUAF Brings the Gift of Peace of Mind
No matter what you give your elderly loved ones for the holidays; you can give them the gift of the in-home care they need at any time. Home Care Powered by AUAF can provide at home care for seniors that will not only help your elderly loved one keep living independently, but it will also give you peace of mind that our professional caregivers are there to help keep them safe, even when you can’t be. Call us at 773-274-9262 or contact us to find out more.
Home Care Powered by AUAF has not tested or reviewed any of the products linked in this post. Nor does Home Care Powered by AUAF receive any compensation from the purchase of these products. The linked products are only suggestions to illustrate categories of products, not specific recommendations of a particular brand.