In life, we have endless ways of showing the people in our lives just how much we love them – it forms part of our love language. To show love and appreciation to another person takes much more effort than simply grabbing the first thing you see at the store that fits within your budget. So when you’re looking for that perfect gift to give this festive season, to wrap and give to an aging loved one – take time to understand what they enjoy and more importantly, need.
When it comes to gifting for aging friends and family members, it’s important to remember that as we get older, we pretty much have most of what we need, so buying a gift for an older person can be tricky. Here are our top 10 picks for gifting this festive season:
- Webcam – for families who don’t have the luxury of living in the same country or state, a webcam is a great gift for keeping in real-time touch with family, children and grandchildren.
- Robo Vacuum – keeping the house clean can become more challenging as we age in place. A robo vacuum cleaner is the ultimate cleaning tool – at the touch of a button. Some models vacuum AND mop floors at the same time!
- Ring.com Doorbell – getting up to answer the door every time isn’t always possible, and many people don’t feel safe just opening up for anyone. For the tech-savvy senior, they can see who’s at the front door from their phone and even speak to that person (or not…) from anywhere in the home – even when not home.
- Google Nest Home – play music, get hands-free help from Google. Ask Google to get answers, news, turn on lights, set reminders, timers and more – all by voice command.
- Digital Photo Frame – this is always a great gift – sentimental and meaningful. A reminder of cherished memories, family, places and friends. With the help of a family member or Homecare Assistance Care Worker, photos can be loaded and switched up on rotation at any time. Also a wonderful gift for those with memory decline such as dementia.
- Remote Key Finder – losing keys in the house, especially when you have somewhere else to be, has to be the most frustrating. With a remote key finder, your loved one will never lose their house keys and if they do, they’ll always find them.
- Meal Subscription – as we age, time spent in the kitchen can be minimal. With a meal subscription service such as Lite ‘n Easy or Hello Fresh for example, you get nutritious, ready-made or ready to make meals delivered straight to your loved ones door.
- Fitness Tracker – moving and keeping fit as we age is of paramount importance not only for physical health, but also mental health. FitBit watches are a great gift to encourage light exercise and can also track heart beat and offer other hearing monitoring benefits.
- Indoor Smart Garden – if gardening is your loved one’s ‘thing’ then an indoor smart garden is the ideal gift for the ‘green thumb’. Equipped with seeds and self-watering pots, growing nutritious herbs and vegetables has never been this easier.
- Happy Jar – a gift filled quite literally with intention from loved ones. It doesn’t cost a cent because it comes straight from the heart. A simple jar filled with love and happy quotes, handwritten by family – children and grandchildren. A little note taken out every day to be reminded just how much they are loved, is more than money could ever buy!
Remember – when it comes to gifting for our aging friends and family, above all else, your time and attention is one of the greatest gifts you can also give them.
