Gifting Our Elders

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uying gifts for grandparents can be really frustrating. Grandparents are so often hard to buy for since (by their very longevity) they have practically everything they need. In many cases they are also downsizing and don’t wish to be burdened by another needless gift. By registering with gyftit.com they could at least give you a hint of what they like even if they implore you not to buy them anything.

When the same gift is received too many times the person may complain, “I don’t need this” or “Give this back — it costs way too much”. The good mood everyone was in vanishes and a joyous occasion is turned into one of family disagreement. So, finding at least something that the grandparent (or father or mother) will like is what to aim for.

Here are a few ideas:

• A donation in the person’s name to a charity is one gift that is easily purchased. (See our “Charities Section”.)
You will be gifting them and at the same time helping others without any hassle.
• A DNA test would certainly be the topic of discussion at the dinner table — help them do it and mail it out for them.
• A DVD (and a player) with a slideshow of their old photo album pics along with a soundtrack of some favorite music would definitely be something that they would cherish.

There are many other ways to gift our elders, depending on their ages and physical capabilities. Check these websites for a ton of ideas you may not have thought of by people who know their clientele: greatseniorliving

Here’s a site for seniors who don’t want anything! holidappy

Other sites with many ideas are: lovetoknow, dailycaring, heavy.com. Let’s not forget Amazon and the multitude of gifts that are out there: amazon.ca and amazon.com

Finally, here are gifts that they can actually use: huffingtonpost.

Note: When choosing a gift, just be aware of the degree of complexity that your gift might cause. We live in an age of technological advancement — our seniors come from a much less complex time and not everything electronic or phone-oriented is desired. Sometimes comfort and sentimentality are what is needed the most. Good luck gifting your loved ones!