Joyful and Purposeful Holiday Gifts for Older Adults
By Cristina Klymasz, MS, OTR/L, CBIS, RYT, CLT‑LANA, MSCS
Occupational Therapist, South Carolina
It can be a struggle to find novel holiday gift ideas for a beloved older adult. You might be thinking, “What do I buy for someone who has everything?” Below are a few innovative options organized by category to kickstart your holiday buying. Many of the items will not only put a smile on your loved one’s face but can help them stay independent or foster their participation in enjoyable tasks. We’ve showcased gift ideas that fall into three categories: safety, mental engagement, and physical fitness.
Holiday Gifts to Keep a Loved One Safe
Thoughtful gifts that your loved one will enjoy can also serve another person—providing peace of mind and safety.
- Apple Watch
While this has a higher price tag, the Apple Watch gives the wearer and family members peace of mind through a free fall-detection service. When worn, it can detect a fall and will display a message requesting that the wearer dismiss if all is well. If this message is not dismissed within 60 seconds, emergency services and emergency contacts are notified. The wearer’s GPS coordinates are shared to help emergency responders know exactly where to go.
In addition, other apps and functions expand the benefits of this watch beyond fall detection:
Medical information can be added to the medical ID app, allowing emergency medical services to access this information and obtain vital information like a list of medications, diagnoses, and allergies.
An innovative and free app, Eldercheck Now, alerts the watch wearer to press a button daily to alert family members that they are alright. This can be a peace of mind for loved ones caring from a distance.
Medication monitoring apps are available to help with the oversight of medications for those who live alone or are alone during medication administration times.
This watch can also monitor heart rate and sleep cycles. It will even record an EMG! All of these functionalities can help provide peace of mind if a fall or other emergency happens.
- Medical Guardian MGMOVE
The Medical Guardian MGMOVE is a less costly alternative to the Apple Watch—a wearable watch with fall detection. This watch has a small monthly fee. You can find other options with The National Council on Aging.
- Easy-to-Use Cell Phones
If your loved one isn’t savvy with technology, there are other options for phones aside from iPhones or other smart devices. The Jitterbug has flip and smartphone options that are easy to use and come with senior-friendly phone plans.
Lively also offers easy-to-use phone options, plus medical detection alert plans at an additional cost.
Holiday Gifts to Engage a Loved One’s Mind
Some gifts that seem fun on the surface will have deeper benefits like engaging your loved one’s mind, which can increase focus and cognition.
- Adult Coloring Books
These coloring books foster creativity and cognition—and come in a variety of styles and interests. There are even adult daily planners and bible coloring books! These can easily be purchased at local bookstores or online.
- Dementia Puzzles
Dementia puzzles are specifically designed with a dementia diagnosis in mind. Pieces are easily sanitized and puzzles come in manageable sizes. Relish Life makes jigsaw puzzles that are stimulating and soothing which can improve well-being.
- Window Bird Feeders
If your loved one is an avid bird watcher and has access to a window, a window bird feeder will brighten their day! Sahara Sailor caters to older adults. Their bird feeder is made to be a squirrel deterrent and has easily removable parts for cleaning.
- Specialty Books
You can find a book for almost any interest!
For an eager traveler, National Geographic published a book titled Destinations of a Lifetime that brings the viewer on a photographic tour of spectacular locations around the world.
Indulge the nostalgic or sentimental soul in your life with a New York Times Custom Anniversary Book. Craft a beautiful hardcover book featuring the front pages of The New York Times from a specific date, spanning over 50 years. It’s a heartfelt and timeless way to commemorate a special moment in someone’s life, offering a journey through the historical headlines that shaped their world.
- Commemorative Scrapbooking
If your loved one enjoys getting hands-on, they can use the “My Life So Far” memory journal to easily record and pass down their cherished memories and life stories. With prompts on each page to assist with recording interesting memories, the DIY process is simplified to create a meaningful keepsake for generations to come.
If they’d prefer to record digitally, LifeBio allows you to record precious memories and stories with an easy-to-use app. The app provides prompts for your loved one to answer. All answers are safely saved in a HIPAA-compliant database. Your loved one can listen to the memories whenever they want to take a walk down memory lane.
- Large Print Cards
Large print cards can provide an older adult with vision changes hours of enjoyment. These cards are also specially designed to be easy to sanitize. These are easy to find at stores like Target and Walmart as a last-minute gift.
- Bluetooth Record Player
The Victrola 3-in-1 Bluetooth record player is a hit with music lovers. There are options for playing music via Bluetooth, vinyl, or FM radio. This nostalgic record player will allow your loved one to play their records and listen to or dance to music from their favorite decade. The FM radio or Bluetooth capability allows for listening to newer music as well.
- Robotic Pets
If your loved one is an animal lover and craving companionship, Joy For All makes robotic cats and dogs that are battery-operated. The interaction of caring for these pets can bring joy and comfort into an older adult’s day and is a great option for those who might have some memory changes.
Holiday Gifts to Energize and Help Keep Your Loved One Physically Fit
These gifts can help keep older adults active. Activity leads to many other health benefits, so these gifts are a great choice to encourage safe and gentle exercise.
- Mini Exercise Bike
No matter your loved one’s physical fitness level, they can almost certainly pedal a mini exercise bike—even while watching television! It’s a convenient way for older adults to incorporate easy physical activity into their routine. Affordable options can be found on platforms like Amazon.
- Adaptive Shoes
If putting on shoes is a barrier to exercising or walking, why not purchase slip-on sneakers? Many varieties cater to older adults:
- Kiziks not only allow an older adult to slip on their shoes but also walk in style!
- Billy Shoes are designed for effortless shoe donning, even with a brace.
- Skechers now offers convenient slip-on shoes for those who are always on the go!
- Fitbit
To help motivate a loved one to walk or stay active, a Fitbit is a great choice! Fitbits are easy to use, and beyond encouraging and tracking exercise, can also monitor vital signs and sleep.
- Gardening Tools
For the avid gardener, a foldable seat and combined tool-carrying case are optimal. This makes it easy to transport tools and work in the garden without kneeling on the ground. This can be purchased on Amazon.
- Ring Toss Games
Why not give a ring toss hook game? The new owner can not only improve their hand-eye coordination but also have fun! This can be hooked easily onto a door or wall with attachments that come in the package.
- Guided Exercise Cards
If your loved one is looking for guided exercise, how about purchasing a deck of exercise cards? Below are a few options:
- 5-Minute Core Exercise Cards provide pictures and instructions for safe exercise.
- 10-Minute Chair Exercises will guide your loved one through safe exercises while they remain seated.
Innovative Holiday Gifts Can Improve Your Loved One’s Care
While this is not an exhaustive list, the options might spark an ingenious idea. The gifts we recommend are ones that not only show your love but can also help improve your loved one’s quality of life.
For more ideas, consider consulting your loved one’s clinicians or doctors. If you’re thinking about buying a particular adaptive tool or assistive device to aid in walking, talk to their physical therapist, occupational therapist, or doctor for guidance. If you’re searching for a specialized activity book to address specific speech or cognitive issues, reach out to your loved one’s speech-language pathologist for recommendations.
These holiday gifts are thoughtful, enjoyable, and useful. Stay safe this holiday season, and happy gifting!