One of the toughest questions of the year is always “What should we buy for grandpa this Christmas?” Finding a suitable gift for anyone isn’t easy, let alone for an elderly relative… Presenting them with a modern piece of technology usually ends up in the corner catching dust, while decorating items lose impact when they are piled up on the top of the cupboard. So why don’t you give them something useful, but not in a forced way? We rounded up some creative ideas to make this year’s Christmas gift for granny and grandpa a memorable one.
Freedom and independence are two highly valued components for an aging adult. Honoring their request to age in place is a tough decision because you are worried sick if grandma doesn’t pick up the phone. Instead of bothering them with constant calls, provide them with a medical alert system for Christmas. Personal emergency devices are clever little devices that can boost the confidence of an elderly, not to mention they provide a safety net in case something goes wrong. Furthermore they can come with useful add-on accessories, such as a medication reminder.
While personal emergency systems grant a safety net for health-related issues, home security systems are aimed at signaling environmental dangers and home intrusions. Someone in the autumn of life might forget to turn off the oven or leave the car running, but seniors tend to refuse buying a fire/CO detector on their own. However, giving them these as gift is an entirely new story. The same could be said about an alarm system. Looking into different alarm services proves to be complicated and tiresome for elderly. That’s why you should be the one choosing the right service, order it, and install it yourself or have it installed. In either case you’ll want to make sure there’s a nice ribbon wrapped around your gift!
Even seniors nowadays are in need of a mobile phone. The old landline phone they are so fond of cannot accompany them while visiting a friend or shopping at the grocery. They need a cellphone, even if it’s as a backup. Just to be on the safe side. Sadly traditional smartphones won’t fit the needs of the older generations, so put that new Apple phone down! What they really need is a phone with a big screen and big letters. GreatCall’s Jitterbug Flip is an old-school flip phone that makes a good example of an elder-friendly phone design. And if your relatives are ready to step to the next level, then buy them a Jitterbug Smart that acts like a normal smartphone with a simpler layout and fewer apps.
In case docketing old family photos is a popular pass time in your family, then we have a winning idea for you. First, gather all the family photos you have on digital platforms, and scan the most memorable pictures you have sitting in shoe boxes as well. Then involve both the older and younger generation into a fun activity where they can create a virtual photo book! There are numerous websites and apps specializing in photo book making. They are easy enough to be handled by the kids, while the grandparents tell the story of each picture. When your photo collage is ready, you can have it printed in a gorgeous photo book, so your aging relatives can indulge the memories whenever they want.
This may be a bit unconventional, but if your relatives are open minded and enjoy socializing with others, why not give them a subscription to an online dating site? Before your turn this idea down, hear us out. Dating sites, such as Senior FriendFinder, are catering to the elderly community, allowing people in the same age group to make contact with each other. There is no obligation for romance either: there are elderly whose goal is to find friends or just to chat with someone else who went through the same as they did. And if the seniors are particularly tech-savvy and handle a smartphone like a pro, they don’t even need to sit in front of a computer, because the same experience is available via a smartphone app.
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