Healthy blog

Gift Ideas For Seniors

1. Small self-contained aquarium. Have calendar to mark feedings.
2. Stamps and notepaper.
3. Coupons for trips to special events - ice show, play, lunch or dinner at a special restaurant, ball game, movie, concert, craft show, boat trip, picnic, car races, walk in park.
4. Date night for daughter and father, mother and son.
5. Daily newspaper.
6. Photo album of special memories.
7. Recordings of music from their early youth.
8. Arrange to go to a baseball, basketball, soccer or football game, even if it is just a school league. Seniors love to be part of what is going on.
9. Set up a lunch or dinner date.
10. Go to the movies.
11. Take a trip to the mall.
12. Create a "Trip a Month" gift
13. Plan a weekly or twice monthly trip to the library.
14. A month of Sunday drives to church, country, museum or park.
15. Take a drive to see Christmas lights and decorations.
16. Go to a play - amateur, professional, high school or college.
17. Invite people over for a ballgame on TV. Serve hotdogs, peanuts, popcorn, etc. just like actually being there.
18. Rent some old movies that senior would enjoy seeing. Make popcorn, etc. for a real "night out".
19. Find out what charities are important to this special one, and make a donation in their name.
20. Give the gift of music - an instrument that they haven’t played in years, but enjoyed.
21. Go to a concert, glee club or chorus.
22. Give note cards, stationary and stamps.
23. Give an assortment of greeting cards - birthdays, anniversary, graduation, get well and sympathy.
24. Make a commitment to phone once a week or month. Or eat out each week or month. Bring a sandwich and have a "picnic" each week or month.
25. Make a project of writing down their life story. It can be printed out with pictures added and then given as gifts to family members.
26. Give gift certificates for local grocery store, deli or pharmacy.
27. Make up vouchers for paid-in-advance lawn mowings, weedings or snow shoveling.
28. Have someone come in a clean their house - or you come in a clean.
29. Arrange for a free home safety inspection.
30. Have a handyman visit for minor repairs - this could be you or someone you hire.
31. Rewrite their address book in larger, easy-to-read print.
32. Highlight frequently used numbers in the phone directory.
33. Give a subscription to favorite magazine or newspaper.
34. Put together a basket of assorted goodies - such as canned vegetables, fruits, tuna, ham, chicken, soups, chili, stew, instant coffee, tea bags, crackers, cookies.
35. Replace an old tattered photo album with their special photos - all labeled and mounted.
36. Have a particularly favorite photo enlarged and framed.
37. Create a Gift of the Month program - fruits, breads, flowers.
38. Pets make wonderful companions for seniors.
39. Bird feeders make excellent gifts. Not only is there something happening to look at, but for those who are able there is also the need to keep the feeders filled for the birds. The same is true for bird baths, and hummingbird feeders

Practical Helps for Everyday Living

1. Keep a magnifying glass on a cord around your neck for easy access.
2. Take a handheld tape recorder when going to the doctor's office to record visit, and be clear about what was said.
3. A soap on a rope keeps a dropped bar of soap in the shower from being a problem.
4. A significant event can be take lots of pictures and put them together an album to help a senior remember.
5. When a senior has trouble remembering who came to visit, have a guest book for people to sign. Another idea is to have a large blocked calendar people can sign and indicate what they did. It helps when others come, to know whether your loved one has already gone for a walk today.
6. When bringing meals for a senior, make double portions - one for now and one for later.
7. Highlight frequently used numbers in the phone book to make finding numbers easier.
8. A Power Failure Safety Light provides light when the electricity goes out.
9. A dustpan with a long handle makes sweeping a breeze without bending.