Lonely elders long to spend some time with their family members. Even if it’s just a chat on the phone or a Sunday afternoon visit. Unfortunately though, if the family lives in another city, it is hard to make that wish come true.
I can understand this because my grandmother felt this way for 15 years after my grandfather passed.
That’s why I came up with a few gift ideas that I think will cheer up any lonely elder. Many of these gifts will help them pass the time, communicate with loved ones, or make them feel safer in general.
Gifts That Will Cheer up Lonely Seniors
Light Therapy Lamp by TaoTronics | Amazon.com
Studies have shown that light therapy can elevate mood and reduce the risk of dementia. This UV-free lamp is able to simulate natural sunshine. Many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, and a lamp like this is a way to remedy that. It's common for wheelchair users to spend time cooped up indoors, but with a gift like this, they'll be able to soak up the sun even when they're stuck at home.
Grandbox Subscription Box for Seniors | Crate Joy
The Grandbox Premium Subscription Box that is sent out once a month. The deliveries coincide with important dates such as birthdays, major public holidays, Christmas, etc.
Grandbox deliveries are built around a theme and are often seasonal. The boxes include a range of gifts with items that are full sized, not fun-sized. Past boxes have included seasonal snacks, puzzle books, fall decor, calendars, and even an Elf on the Shelf!
Plus, Grandboxes can be deeply personalized. I love that you can even add 5 of your own photos and a personal note in each box! It’s a great way to keep long distance relatives involved and up to date along with some nice gifts!
Decade Candy Gift Box | OldTimeCandy.com
This cool gift box features 2 lbs of candy that was popular in your selected decade packed into a gift box. Decade options include the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and the 1990s.
For the true candy lover, there is a 4 lb choice as well as a monthly subscription box option to keep the candy coming on a regular basis.
Easy-to-use Memory Cell Phone for Seniors With Memory Loss | RazMobility
This easy to use cell phone for seniors features photo dialing, an emergency button, and displays the time, remaining batter, and signal strength. And, that's it! Plus caregivers can manage and control the phone settings through a simple portal.
Poppy's Hobbies Seasonal Craft Kits | Crate Joy
This subscription box has craft projects that seniors and beginning crafters will love. Each box is themed around a particular season or holiday and are usually decor items that are show-off worthy! Each box includes complete instructions and all accessories needed.
Hunt A Killer - Do You Have What It Takes?
Enjoy a good mystery? Can’t put down an Agatha Christie novel once you get started? Then HuntAKiller.com may be just the subscription service for you.
Each month you get a box of clues to help you solve a murder. These monthly boxes are laid out like an episode of a TV show and they tell a bigger story. Six episodes complete a season. There are puzzles and ciphers to solve too for the puzzle lover.
Each box takes between 90 min and 3 hours to complete and can be used as a group experience too. Worried about content? The boxes are “PG-13” because some clues may be graphic (autopsy reports ans such).
Craftsman Crate Skill Building Subscription Box
The Craftsman Crate is a great way for seniors to try out new hobbies while keeping their hands active and busy. Each box is a complete project box with complete instructions and even includes the tools needed. Past boxes have included candle-making, mosaics, and soapstone carving.
TheraBox – Self Care Subscription Box | CrateJoy.com
For lonely seniors, check out Crate Joy's TheraBox Self Care Box. Each box has healthy ways to spend your time by concentrating on your self and your own care. You get a happiness activity and several self care wellness products to try out. The best part? Each box’s selections are chose by therapists!
World of Puzzles & Game Book Subscription | MagazineAgent.com
Many seniors love working puzzles so why not provide them puzzles to work all year long. Puzzles help keep the mind active and sharp which can improve memory and keep away boredom. 9 Issues per year.
Smart Jewelry with Panic Button | invisaWear
This well made jewelry features a hidden panic button that you can press when you need any kind of assistance from friends, family, or even the authorities. Once received, the jewelry syncs up to an app on your cell phone. Then, once the panic button is pressed, your cell phone will notify the people that your designate.
Woodlink Deluxe Cedar Bird Feeder with Suet Cages Model AT4
Bird feeders are great for when people are bored or frustrated. Sitting by the window or on a porch and watching the birds can help to calm people down. Place the birdhouse where seniors in nursing homes, assisted living or who are bedbound can see it out their window. Do some research about local birds in the area where they live so that you can also include some bird seed that attracts neighborhood guests.
Zyllion Back and Neck Shiatsu Massager with Heat | Amazon.com
Perfect for heating, massaging, and relaxing sore back and neck muscles, this is a great gift that can provide much needed relief to muscle soreness, muscle tightness, or even pain resulting from these issues. All without having to book an appointment, go across town, and deal with the uncomfortable aspects of getting a massage from a professional.
Safe Sound Personal Alarm | Amazon.com
Accidents don’t come invited and lonely adults with severe health conditions have a higher chance of emergencies. So, gifting a personal alarm makes sense. Whenever they feel something wrong about their health or they are in the middle of an emergency, they can push the alarm button to alert the neighbors or anyone around.
Sboly Single Serve Coffee Maker Brewer | Amazon.com
No matter how old some of us get, that morning cup of coffee is a mandatory start to the day. This single serve coffee maker is a great gift to provide that single cup of coffee - quickly and easily. No waste, no hassle, just a simple and strong cup of caffeine to get going in the morning.
Weighted Sensory Lap Pad | Amazon.com
Experts believe that sensory lap blankets can help calm the nerves of those who have early dementia. They help to increase melatonin and serotonin levels overnight. This helps them to sleep comfortably for long periods.
Montem Ultra Strong Hiking/Walking/Trekking Poles | Amazon.com
These walking poles are actually quite useful for those with mobility issues or those who simply want to take some of the strain off their legs. Using the sticks to simply walk incorporates more of the upper body in the walking movement much the same way as an elliptical. So, for those who have knee problems, these might help them move around easier for longer walks and hikes.
3X Large Magnifying Glass with Light | Amazon.com
As eyesight goes, this magnifying glass helps seniors read small print on medication, newspapers, maps, and books. The optical glass dome provides obstruction free viewing without any distortion. If reading is a problem all together, think about an easy to use audio book player.
Folding Step Stool | Amazon.com
Whether needing a sturdy non-slick step stool to reach the top of the shelves in the bathroom, the kitchen, or the basement, a reliable folding step stool is an incredibly practical and extremely useful gift. This encourages that all-important sense of independence and self-reliance while helping to reduce the chances of preventable accidents.
Sleep Easy Sound Conditioner | Amazon.com
Don’t go by the name of this gift. In fact, it makes pleasing sounds that can help elders go to sleep quickly. They have a variety of sound variations and also active noise cancellation facilities, allowing lonely elders to drift off to sleep.
Senior Home Meal Delivery | Silver Cuisine by bistroMD
This senior meal delivery service send chef-prepared meals from doctor-designed diets straight to the door. Simply select your meals from a menu online or via phone and set your delivery schedule. Rest assured knowing your loved one is easting well
Monthly Flowers - 3 Months, 6 Months, or A Year of Flowers
Who doesn't like getting flowers? 1-800-Florals offers monthly flower shipments with 3, 6, or 12 month subscriptions in seasonal fresh cut flowers and rose options. You choose when and where each shipment is delivered. International delivery is available.
Audiobooks.com Monthly Audiobook Club
Many seniors can benefit from an Audiobooks.com subscriptions: from active seniors who like to exercise to elderly people who are homebound or even bedridden. Audiobooks provide hours of entertainment, education and enlightenment. Plus, they keep seniors minds busy as they pass the time.
Monthly Fresh Flower Delivery | Great Clubs
With this gift, your loved one will receive 1 fresh bouquet of exotic and fragrant flowers for the best growers throughout the world. Included in each shipment is a newsletter and a personalized gift letter from you. 2,3,4,6, and 12 month options.
Smiling Face Daisies Cookie Bouquet | Cookies by Design
Brighten someone's day with this bright and cheery Daisy Cookie Bouquet from Cookies by design. Options include 5, 7, or 12 cookies in a garden style planter basket. Can by personalized or include a personal message
Gift Baskets Boredom Buster Care Package | GreaterGood
The Medium Boredom Buster Care Package includes: Word search book, Crossword book, Deck of cards, Wooden puzzle brain teaser game, Tootsie Rolls, Camouflage hackie sack, camouflage bandana, 2 Quaker Oaks Granola bars, Smiley face stress ball, Juicy fruit gum, Blank note cards with envelopes, Planters asst deluxe nuts, Chex mix, Oreo cookies, Combos Cheese filled pretzel nuggets, Kraft gift box
TaoTronics Light Therapy Lamp | Amazon.com
In winter, you could have 16 to 18 hours of darkness. This keeps elders from getting out in the sun which can depress some elders. A light therapy lamp mimics natural outdoor light so that elders don’t feel they are missing out on anything outside.
Create Simple Wall Tile Pictures From Photos | StoryBoards
Storyboards are a great way to keep seniors updated with photos of their family and your lives. Simply upload photos and they will be converted to 8X8 photo boards that can be stuck to the wall. The best part? They don't leave any marks on the wall when removed so they should be nursing home or assisted living approved!
Magazine Gift Subscriptions That Seniors Will Love
Magazine subscriptions provide a ton of benefits for seniors: education, entertainment, a way to pass some time. They can also be a great link to the outside world. Look for large print magazines like Reader's Digest for seniors with vision problems.
Auto Ship & Save | Yankee Candle
Yankee Handle has an Auto Ship program where you can get your favorite scents delivered on a schedule you choose. Choose from candles, car fragrances, home fragrances - mix and match. Set your own schedule too from every 4 weeks to 16 weeks.
TIMMKOO Easy to Use MP3 Player | Amazon.com
A great gift for an older adult who is a lover of great music, or even a tech-savvy relative, will truly appreciate a senior friendly MP3 player. Music can bring back positive memories, increase stimulation, and provide a chance to interact with those around them. Load it up with their favorite music before giving it to them. This easy to use model has simple instructions and a large easy to read screen.
PhotoShare Smart Frame | Send Pics from Phone to Frame | Amazon.com
A digital photo album is a fun way to load up and display family, vacation, and travel photos. Rather than having space for just one or two happy photos, you can add or change the pictures by uploading them from your phone to the frame when you come to visit. It can also be updated via WiFi too! For fun the senior could even use a camera to take some of the photos themselves.
Fire HD 8 Tablet and E-Reader | Amazon.com
Amazon Kindle is a reliable electronic reader that is available in many sizes and weights plus the fonts can be enlarged for easier reading. Set it up to have some of their favorite books ahead of time. Take it one step further and load an app like Skype onto a newer Kindle version so that they can sign in and chat with family when you are apart.
COWIN Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones | Amazon.com
Wireless headphones will let your loved one enjoy their TV viewing, audiobook listening experience, or just shut the world out for a little while. These headphones fit right over the ear and cancel out the noise around them in an otherwise noisy common area. This model has a 30 hour battery life and can be synced to a wide range of devices via Bluetooth. Check out my guide to buying headphones for seniors and the elderly in this article.
399 Games, Puzzles & Trivia Challenges | Amazon.com
There are many options when it comes to good brain games. Crossword power, Sudoku books, word searches, or something else entirely, brain games are important. This book is a great option among many for creating and interacting with games that not only pass time and keep you entertained, but also keeps the mind firing on all cylinders!
US Art Supply 82 Piece Deluxe Art Creativity Set | Amazon.com
Help revive a senior's old hobby or passion give your loved one the tools to take up a new one with this artistic kit. Doing creative tasks like this is good for better developing the more creative part of the brain. While challenging, it will help to teach a new skill, occupy their time, and give them something to be proud of.
Choosing a Gift for Lonely Elders
Selecting a gift for lonely elders is not a daunting task.
You should understand what would make them happy to counter their loneliness. As for me, I like the idea of the large print puzzle books and subscription boxes. Gifts like this will help them stay busy and keep their minds sharp. Plus, knowing something else is coming later will give them something to look forward to!
Do you have a gift you recommend for elderly people who might be lonely? Please share your ideas in the comments below!
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