Gifts for the Elderly

Okay, you've thought and thought and haven't come up with any brilliant ideas for Great Grandma or Great Grandpa . . . . . . . again!! What on earth could they possibly want?

Well, to tell you the truth, probably not what you expect!

Do they get cold during the day, sitting and watching television? Get them a lightweight fleece throw. Remember the wrists and hands don't work like yours do, so be sure that it is lightweight. And that goes for bed coverings, too. It's hard when the hands don't work to wrangle those covers up around the neck!

Sweaters can keep a person warm but to a lot of elderly people, they are heavy! They prefer not to wear them because of the weight. So if you do purchase a sweater, again, keep it lightweight.

New fangled gadgets might be all the rage but unless they've been exposed to it before, DON'T get it! That includes fancy digital albums. The elderly just don't understand the technology (heck, I don't understand half the technology) and it is much better to give them a small photo album of actual pictures. Nothing too large, no bigger than 5X7 and not too fat.

If they don't love plants or flowers, don't bother. It is just something that is a waste and they won't enjoy it like you wish that they would.

If they can have sweets, try making some homemade candy, small (small is better for one or two people) loaves of banana bread, date nut bread, or cookies! Most elderly folks love things that are sweet, salty or spicy.

Be cautious of what type diet they may be on. If they are diabetic, there are a lot of sugar free candies that you can purchase. If they are on a low salt and you want to add flavor, Mrs. Dash is great! If they have heart issues, watch the dark chocolates. It causes palpitations in some if they eat too much! Stick to milk chocolate.

If they still do their own shopping, a gift card to their favorite store is a blessing! Let's face it, they aren't getting rich on social security and this might make a huge difference!!

And if they have pets, don't forget them! Find out what they feed the dog or cat and pick up a bag. It doesn't cost that much and saves them valuable cash!

If you have the time, make coupons for them so that they can redeem them for a dinner, laundry help, cleaning, whatever they might need.

If they like to read, perhaps a library card might be the thing! Offer to pick up books and take them back. Most elderly people really don't want more books laying around after reading them. Some libraries even have shut-in deliveries! They also have AUDIO BOOKS!! These would be great for those who have a hard time reading.

There are a lot of ideas to help your elderly relatives and friends. And it doesn't have to cost a lot because they are not interested in bigger and better. They are interested in comfort, warmth, food, shelter and the ability to remain independent for as long as they can.

So this season, think long and hard before buying that item. Will they be able to use it? Will they WANT to use it? Will they actually enjoy it? You know the person and what they actually use day to day so use that as your think pad!!

If you ARE looking for something in particular, please check out OLA.com. We have lots of sellers that are going to be joining in Cyber Monday sales and we'd love to have you stop in and browse!!

And if you have time, check out our store Korn Kountry Treasures! We have recently decorated for the holidays!!