I am terrible at giving gifts! Gift-giving is easy with kids. Ask them to write a letter to Santa. But what about seniors? We can dress up as Mr. or Mrs. Claus, but we don’t have an army of toy-building elves.
If your favorite senior is living in senior apartments in an independent living community, then you have to be conscious of space. Before my parents moved into a senior living community, I gave them furniture, wall decor, and interesting finds from my local flea market. But now we have to be economical with their space, and I want to give them the most bang for their buck.
If your favorite senior is staying in an assisted living senior community, you must also be aware of their abilities. What would they be able to use? Something as simple as silverware might feel right in your hands, but it might not be ergonomic in their hands.
If your favorite senior is in memory care, then you have to be aware of their cognitive capabilities. What would best make sense in their mind?
And I thought preteens were hard to shop for! While there is a lot to consider and even more to juggle, we’re here to help. We at Cogir Senior Living put together a diverse list of gift ideas. We’ve checked it twice and know you’ll find something for your favorite senior. Whether they are living at home or in an independent living, assisted living, or memory care community.
We’ve also accommodated our range of gifts for various budgets. It’s important to note we are not sponsored by any brands or companies listed below. We’re recommending these gifts because we believe in them. We believe they can make your favorite senior smile!
The Key to Giving Gifts, Whether it’s for Senior Living, Assisted Living, or Memory Care
Here’s a rule of thumb. All gifts should be at least practical, functional, or sentimental. Even better if you can fulfill two or more of those categories.
Bridging the Gap in Retirement Communities: Gifts to Help Seniors Stay Connected
My grandmother had boxes and boxes of loose photos, and they took up a lot of space in her senior apartment. So her daughter took the time to organize those pictures into big photo albums, labeling each one with the who’s, what’s, and where’s. This gift decluttered her senior home. Grandma and the grandkids perused through the decades, seeing their grandparents travel from Portugal to South Africa. This gift is affordable and sentimental but time-intensive.
Digital frames are modern photo albums. Products like the Aura frame or Skylight frame are essentially screens going through a slideshow. However, they can instantly update their selection over wi-fi. Anyone can feel lonely and isolated, even in the best retirement communities. Cheer them up with recent photos of the family at academic milestones or adventurous holidays.
Host some games at the retirement home.
- Millennials vs Boomers trivia game. Have you ever felt the generational divide? Turn it into a party game! The smartest generation wins.
- Not competitive? Rather have your young kids get to know their grandparents. The Grandparent Talk game sparks meaningful conversations. Imagine the stories your senior’s retirement home could tell!
- In my family, all the grandchildren learned how to play poker from their grandparents. Great for bonding! However, for those with a limited range of motion or dexterity issues, an automatic card shuffler makes it easy.
Talk from your senior community to anywhere in the world.
- Even with a great phone connection, those hard-of-hearing can still miss out on meaningful conversations. The captioned telephone transcribes what’s being said in real-time, so you don’t miss a word!
- Can’t figure out FaceTime? Try the GrandPad, a tablet specially designed to connect families across generations. The intuitive interface makes video calling effortless.
- “I don’t need all that fancy stuff they cram into phones nowadays.” Modern smartphones can be confusing and overwhelming. “I just want to make calls!” RAZ memory cell phones return phones to their primary purpose. They have various models, such as flip or smartphone, but all are designed for ease of use.
Healthy, Vibrant, Thriving Senior Living: Gifts to Help Seniors Stay Healthy
Let’s stay healthy in mind and body. Keep minds active with puzzles and brain games. It’s hard to go wrong with classic jigsaw puzzles. While there are a lot of brands out there, my family loves Charles Wysocki’s puzzles. The pieces are much larger than regular jigsaw pieces, making them much easier to see and handle. In our experience, senior communities love the homey, cozy, story-book aesthetic of the artwork.
Oh, but with limited space in a senior apartment, where will you keep in-progress puzzles? You could use a large rectangular serving tray or try a puzzle roll-away mat for compact storage.
Wearable technology can give us great insight into our health. Many gen Xers and millennials opt for Apple watches because they can do everything their phones can. However, they can be over complicated for someone just trying to track their progress in their retirement home. Consider a FitBit for their simplified interfaces. They are also generally more affordable than an Apple Watch, especially the older models.
Let’s get our retirement communities up and exercising!
- Resistance bands are safe, versatile, and beginner friendly exercise equipment. They are great for building both flexibility and strength. If your seniors enjoyed those workout VHS tapes from past eras, they’ll enjoy the routine of a resistance band workout DVD.
- Pickleball set. Double check to ensure the senior community has a pickle ball court.
- Stretch mats for yoga.
- Comfortable sneakers. It’s hard to get out and walk with uncomfortable shoes. Of Course, the comfort of shoes is very subjective, so instead of trying to guess what would be comfortable, take them shoe shopping.
Gifts geared towards memory care:
- Fidget hand muff or blanket. These cozy gifts help people with dementia overcome anxious fidgeting.
- Weather monitor. See exactly what the weather’s like today so your senior knows exactly how to dress.
- Pill Organizers. Sort out a day’s, week’s, or month’s worth of medication. Some even include digital alarm clocks as medication reminders.
- Day Clock.
Quick senior living gifts ideas:
- Light therapy lamp, bring uplifting sunshine indoors
- Non-slip socks, cozy, comfortable, and safe!
- Wheelchair blanket, like being wrapped up in a hug.
- Heating pads to soothe sore areas.
- Kitchen gadgets like jar openers.
- Extendable shoe horns, slip in without bending over.
Keeping Retirement Communities Lively: Giving Gifts According to Interest
No matter who your senior is, whether they’re in senior apartments or a continuing care retirement community, everyone is interested in themselves.
My life in a book is a very heartfelt gift, but takes a little bit of work and some preparation. It is basically a paced-out way of writing a book on your loved one. You sign up, and you receive one question each week for a full year. They are simple yet engaging prompts like “What was your favorite childhood memory?” Or “Who were your childhood friends? And what were your adventures.” These can spark interesting, memory-preserving conversations. Record your loved one’s responses, and at the end of the year, they will be compiled into a personalized keepsake book.
If your senior is interested in their family history, consider a membership to Ancestry.com or a kit from 23andMe. Or for a gift that literally keeps on giving, try a year of a monthly delivery club. You can have everything from wine, chocolate, beer, cheese, brain games, or flowers show up to their door. However, we’re a little hesitant to recommend these as they can be expensive. If you go this route, read the reviews to make sure they deliver quality products.
If all else fails, give an experience!
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift – that is why it is called the present.”
~ Eleanor Roosevelt.
See what’s on the calendar for your local expo center. Check out the nearby Museums. See if your community is planning any holiday events. Explore the upcoming events hosted by your senior’s retirement home. You may be surprised by the cherished memories you’ll share at their senior community.
We hope these ideas help you find the perfect gift for your loved ones.
The holidays are a special time for families to connect and spend time together. If your favorite senior shows signs of needing additional support, contact us to explore your options and learn how we can help make the transition to a senior living community seamless and enjoyable. Visit our website or schedule a tour to discover the perfect community for you.
What Sets Cogir Senior Living Apart?
We’re devoted to creating healthy, vibrant communities that offer residents exceptional independent living, assisted living, and memory care lifestyle options. Cogir Senior Living develops, owns, and/or operates 80+ lifestyle communities throughout the United States.
