It’s been said the greatest gifts are the gifts of time, and the gift we give of ourselves to one another when we are together. With the holidays coming, there’s also the excitement of opening something special, something that fosters good health, makes life easier, safer, or just makes the recipient’s heart soar. Perhaps, if we are lucky, it does all four!
The following gift ideas for seniors have been selected to make life better and brighter:
Journals for Capturing Senior Memories
My Life Story—So Far
Seniors are known to spend a lot of time reminiscing, sometimes feeling the most productive time of life has passed. My Life Story—So Far can change that line of thinking just by its title. The sewn linen, gold foil, and paper journal contains prompts to help write down the best of memories, with space for photos, and with lots of room for more of life’s journey as the story continues to unfold.
Clever Fox Password Book
For those whose lives are simplified by a technology-free password and log-in locator, the Clever Fox Password Book provides alphabetical tabs to help organize plus ample space to make notes. There are spaces to write hints about the password, instead of spelling out the passwords themselves, if preferable, for added security.
Technology and Travel Tools
for Senior Quality of Life
GrandPad Tablet
Staying connected with family and friends, including those far away, is known to improve quality of life. While many seniors are quite adept at maneuvering through technology, for those who may have diminishing eyesight and/or want an easier path, the GrandPad Tablet for seniors is a Bluetooth-enabled tablet with wireless charger and stylus. It comes with three months 4G premium service to get you started.
iExit Interstate Exit Guide
On longer road trips, how many times have you or your passengers needed to pull off the Interstate to eat, stretch, and anything else? Signage indicating what’s located right off each exit isn’t always present, so iExit is the app that tells you. Using the device’s location to determine where you are, it displays upcoming exits listing restaurants, rest stops, gas stations, shops, hotels, and more. Great for the technology-savvy senior who loves helping to navigate.
Movement and Massage to Boost Senior Health
Flexibility Promotes Better Sleep
It’s old news but essential information that staying fit is the key to good health and longevity. Exercise at almost any level improves brain health, circulation, balance, and dexterity. It promotes better sleep and good posture, facilitates weight management, strengthens bones and muscles, reduces risk of disease as well as feelings of anxiety and depression, and maintains flexibility.
Many communities offer exercise classes for a wide range of interests and skill levels. As flexibility tends to wane when we age, signing a senior loved one up for flexibility classes can be life changing, with the added benefit of making new friends with shared interests—a noted incentive in sticking with an exercise regime. Classes may include gentle or chair yoga, Tai chi, stretching, swimming, water aerobics, gentle Pilates, and more.
Aging Gracefully Through Massage
It’s not just a luxury, and seniors can reap the rewards of massage for a variety of ailments and conditions (always check with your loved one’s physician). The benefits of massage, particularly on a regular basis, include improved breathing and range of motion, stress reduction, better sleep and circulation, strengthening of the immune system, detoxification by release of toxins stored in the muscles, and pain management.
Assistive Devices to Maintain Mobility
and Motion
Able Life Auto Cane
Getting in and out of a car can be dangerous if a loved one is unsteady. It’s a real obstacle—even a deterrent for enjoying outings with family and friends. The Able Life Auto Cane is a portable vehicle handle—essentially a grab bar—that fits parallel to the car when inserted into a U-shaped door striker or latch. Compact and quickly and easily insertable, it stores in the glove compartment or purse, even allowing a senior to get in and out of a car without caregiver assistance, preventing strain or injury to arms and backs of both parties.
Fanwer Toilet Aids Tools Long Reach Comfort Wipe
Limited range of motion can happen due to accidents, injuries, recuperation from surgery, etc. With sensitive issues at hand, this means finding creative ways to manage new situations, including adaptive tools to help maintain self-sufficiency in activities of daily living (ADLs). The Fanwer Toilet Aids Tools Long Reach Comfort Wipe is designed for those having trouble bending, turning, or reaching. With a 15-inch range and ergonomic handle, it is easy to hold and operate. An actuator release button efficiently releases toilet tissue and wet wipes.
At-Home Products to Promote Comfort
and Joy in a Senior’s Life
Weighted Heating Pad
No matter what our age, experts tell us we tend to carry the bulk of stress and tension in the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Bent over keyboards, steering through endless traffic, stressing from overwork and impossible schedules—ever notice that at the end of the day it can be hard to simply turn the neck? That’s from being tight, crunched over, and hunched up for hours without even realizing it. If you’re a senior with diminishing mobility, the effort involved in using a cane or pushing a walker and sometimes the resulting posture can cause severe neck and shoulder pain. The Comfytemp Electric Ultra Soft Heated Neck Wrap with weighted micro-glass beads and nine heat settings soothes and relieves pain, strain, and discomfort, leaving you relaxed and likely with improved range of motion after each use.
Compact Heater
As we age, trouble regulating body temperature comes with the territory. With fuel costs always on the rise, efforts to turn up the heat with zones that can impact the entire house may result in off-the-charts heating bills—especially when all you want to warm is the space you are in. The quiet, compact HeatWell Heater plugs into a wall socket and in a few minutes, heats an entire 250-sq. ft. space. With a rotating plug (so as not to block the outlet), temperature control, and programmable timer that can be set for one to twelve hours of heat if desired, operation is safe and easy.
Whatever gifts you give, do your best to give of yourself this holiday season. Presents may delight and make a senior’s life more interesting, safer, and easier, but the gift of you is the one that matters most.
“Gifts for Seniors to Promote Health and Happiness,” written by Beth Herman, Amada blog contributor.
