At the retirement community where Elson works, seniors are already busy writing their lists, checking them twice and comparing them next to the Target circular.Īs the experts and my Grandma Patty tell us, gifts with a bit of feeling, a little thought and a heap of practicality will always hit the right note when it comes to the folks who believe that growing older is inevitable, but growing up is optional. Lastly, and certainly not least, when it comes to seniors and gifts, don’t just assume you know what your senior wants. Elson has seen some of the families of her seniors unveil gifts with a pop-up card, a drop-by from the family pet or with a surprise visit from older grandchildren and/or great grandchildren. Seniors love a little touch of the unexpected and love it when their families go the extra mile. Something seniors do have plenty of room in their homes and in their hearts is a nice surprise from their families. “Absolutely, no gift cards!” she emphasizes. They are also not huge fans of gift cards. Seniors would prefer not to receive overly extravagant or pricey gifts, she adds. They appreciate creature comforts such as lotions, soaps, perfumes, nail care, comfortable shoes, small candies in a dish and small plants for their window sills, shares Elson. “They would like things they actually need and will actually use.” “Seniors want practical and fun gifts,” says Elson. When it comes to gifts for seniors it’s all about finding the right balance, according to Debbie Elson, LPN, and a long-term care nurse of 37 years. There’s nothing she needs per se, yet there are things she would like to have, but space is a bit limited in her downsized living space. My grandma is almost an entire century old, but she still gets dressed up like she’s headed to church, is mindful of what she eats and avoids sugary sweets, gets her hair done once a week and still gets as giddy as a five-year-old when she sees a present headed her way.Īs far as gift-giving goes, buying gifts for Grandma Patty can be tricky. She kept saying to our family, “Can you believe I am 98 years old?!” She was, and I quote, “tickled” by the whole day and the great party turnout. When my Grandma Patty turned 98 years old, she had a party to celebrate her big day and feasted on angel food cake, soup and breadsticks.

Amazon window bird feeder