Top Gift Ideas for Seniors

Take Time to Choose a Thoughtful Gift for an Elderly Relative

Seniors should be celebrated for their lifetime of experience and memories but are sometimes undervalued by their families living busy lives. As well as giving time and attention to listen to their often entertaining stories, treat the older people in your life to a thoughtful gift to show how much you appreciate and respect them. If you take time to select a memorable present or personalize a beautiful gift, it will become a treasured possession and show the recipient how important they are to you. So put on your brainstorming hat and join us as we get you started with some great gift ideas for the golden-ager who is often one of the most important people in our lives.

Souvenirs to Spark Memories in Older People

Newspaper Reprint Gifts

For older people, remembering the past and sharing memories become more important. A framed copy of the newspaper from their birthday or the day of their wedding is a lovely way to celebrate the milestones in their lives. One example is a framed New York Times front page reprint. Just imagine what it would be like to see a page of their paper published many years earlier on the date of their birth is sure to be impressive. Not only that it is sure to remind them what a wonderful life they have led. When you select their birthday, this framed art makes a fantastic birthday gift to commemorate a life well lived.

Personalized Preserved Gold Trimmed Rose

Another great birthday gift idea for your favorite granny is a personalized birthstone rose. Let them know you love them by selecting a gold trimmed rose in their birthstone color. Then add a birthstone gem, their name, and birth date to one of the delicate rose petals. There are other personalization options such as adding their childrens' birthstone gems and names to different petals. These are real roses that are carefully selected and preserved with a clear lacquer and then trimmed in your choice of 24 karat gold, silver, or platinum. Packaged in designer gift boxes, preserved rose gifts are perfect for Mother's Day, an anniversary or a birthday.

Albums and Personalized Photo Boxes

Looking at old photos can be pleasurable especially for someone whose memory is fading. It is easy to enlarge old photos to put them in a picture album as a gift that you can then share together. Or scour their home and other sources to collect special photos and store them in a personalized lasting memories keepsake box. So gather a group of important photos featuring their special moments they will love to review or share. In addition to photos, they can include other keepsakes and mementos ... special photos, cards, letters, tickets, trinkets and more in their personalized mementos photo box. To make the photo gifts even more meaningful plan a get together to review the photos and ask them questions to encourage reminiscing. Then write in names and record anecdotes that will help them remember in the future and later this will become a gift for their entire family to enjoy.

My Life Story Journals and Question Books

If you would like to capture more memories for future generations give them a journal with questions for preserving family memories book. Then spend time with your loved one helping them to complete the questions listed in the memory book. This is such a great gift to encourage your family members to capture their memories for posterity with easy questions that guide the narrative making it really easy to complete. There are umpteen family history book selections from which to choose. My Life Story was one of the first offered. Now there are many versions for grand-parents, mothers, dads and more. Regardless of the gift choice, you make this journal is certain to become a treasured possession for both the recipient and many future generations to come.

Celebrate A Senior's Heritage and Legacy with Family Trees and Genealogy

Personalized Family Tree Sculpture

As seniors age, they often spend time thinking about their relatives that have passed and what they themselves have contributed to future. So consider giving your senior a personalized family tree sculpture featuring charms of every member of their family tree. What a great way to celebrate the generations of their family including children, grandchildren and even great children. This wonderful keepsake gift is available in a variety of styles.

Most family trees start with a standing tree or wall hanging with the main family name and then feature family names on birthstone charm discs for each relative. The version pictured is an artfully designed, black wrought iron family tree with a gold-tone base plate displaying up to 3 lines of personalization such as a family surname and dates.

To decorate the tree coordinating gold-tone round magnetic discs which include a name, birth date and a birthstone for each member of your family are offered. Or larger heart shaped engraved discs which include up to 2 names, birth dates, and birthstones, perfect for parents or married couples are also available. The tree holds up to 50 names on the coordinating discs. Families often add charms for new members through weddings and new babies. Just image how proud this gift will make your elderly family member.

Personalized Family Tree Wall Hanging

If the family tree is too pricey for a big family then consider a personalized family tree canvas wall hanging. There are many other items available in the Family Tree Collection at Arttowngifts. Most of the family tree wrapped canvases allow you to enter the main family name and then add their offspring.

Create A Family Genealogy

Another gift idea is to create a family genealogy history for their family. These ancestry records can be purchased or you could put one together on your own or even better work with your elders over a period of time to create one for their family.

Give Seniors Gifts with A Practical Purpose

A practical gift is occasionally more appropriate as long as it isn’t too difficult to use and won’t just end up sitting unopened in a drawer. By the time someone is considered a senior, they are often beginning to pare down their possessions in preparation for downsizing. So receiving a functional gift is sure to be much appreciated. If you’re looking for a wonderful gift that your older adult will actually use and enjoy, we have you covered.

Personalized Aprons

As we get older there can never be enough aprons. We need aprons when we are baking, cooking or working in the craft room. So why not give your grandparents each his and her personalized aprons. Guys who like to tinker in their garage or shop also appreciate aprons. And if it is personalized most men will wear it like a uniform. There are many apron styles from which to choose including grilling and kitchen themes along with elegant monograms.

Bottle Opener and Catcher

If your senior likes to enjoy a cold beer or soda then this gift is sure to delight both the males and females in the home. These wall mounted bottle opener and cap catchers feature a combination of a beer or soda bottle opener along with a cap catcher underneath. This way the bottle top never hits the ground. My mom used to get so upset with my dad when she stepped on a bottle cap in the garage. It would start a squabble every time. Well here is the solution, give your dad, grandpa, or other aging guys a bottle open and catcher combo for their garage. These functional personalized wall signs come in a variety of fun styles including classic family name, whimsical, rustic, funny, and bar themes. So encourage your senior citizens to pop their bottle tops in style with a bottle opener (and not their teeth) with catcher wall hanging.

Watch and Jewelry Boxes

Current fashion styles encourage both men and women to wear different watches that coordinate with their attire and the event. So as we age we often have a collection of watches and jewelry. This is where a personalized watch box will make life easier for an oldie. Storing watches in a beautifully crafted watch box will make it easier for them to select the watch they want to wear for the day. It will also keep the top of their chest of drawers clutter free. You can add family names, full names, initials or monograms to these high-quality watch boxes. So give your older friend the gift of stowing their stylish timepieces in a handsome personalized box.

Handcrafted Cap Racks

Does your granddad collect baseball caps? If so then grandma will love you for giving him a handcrafted baseball cap rack to display his collection and keep his hats off the floor and other furniture. And another plus is that they are out of way to avoid tripping and guys love to display the logos on the hats so they can brag about whose collection is best!

Presents to Stimulate the Senses of Older Relatives

For an aging person whose sight, hearing or memory is impaired, a gift that stimulates the senses will be helpful. A favorite perfume or a recording of some of their best-loved music will lift their spirits while evoking treasured memories. The feel of a soft, fleecy blanket is soothing as well as practical and simple and traditional gifts like fragrant and colorful flowers and a favorite luxury food will always be popular. Even the music of wind chimes will lift the spirits of both older and younger people alike. The same is true of hummingbird feeders. They bring the delightful sight and song of the hummingbirds.

Spa Gift Baskets and Pamper Me Gifts

One relaxing idea is to send them a “pamper-me gift” such as a spa gift basket. Loaded with sensuous lotions and lush potions featuring their favorite scents such as vanilla, lavender, or caramel these hampers feature pedicure toolkits, loophas, wood massage tools, gel masks, bath pillows and much more. Your grandmother or great auntie is sure to enjoy donning terry cloth bath slippers after enjoying a relaxing soak in bath salts while exfoliating with shower mitts and using a loofah back strap and ball. Top the experience off with a scented candle and delightful smelling bath products and even the crankiest older adult is sure to be happy particularly as they bite into the delicious chocolate treats included in these gifts.

Cigar and Smoking Gifts

Yes we know these are supposed to be off limits but at their age, it is probably safe to indulge just a bit so if the old godger in your life enjoys an occasional cigar there are some great gift ideas for them. An heirloom quality constructed personalized humidor is designed to keep cigars fresh, properly moistened and fragrant. And you can choose from a traditional monogram or family name and initial styles or have some fun and select one with a variety of pub themes. There are personalized humidors featuring fishing, golf, bowling, and other sports or hobby themes. You can top off this gift with a personalized Zippo lighter so your senior never has to look for their matches. Nothing smells better than the smoke from a fragrant cigar!

Personalized Pashmina Scarves

When you want to send both a functional yet sensual gift then consider a monogrammed pashmina scarf. Made popular by the British, these pashmina scarves add a touch of class to any wardrobe while keeping the wearer warm and comfortable. So grandma will love the touch of the scarf while it keeps the chill at bay. Grandma, your great aunt or an older friend

Gifts That Make Life Easier for Seniors

Another idea is to give the older adult a gift that helps them accommodate their limitations and improve their life! Don’t stop buying your elderly relatives a gift just because they say they have everything they need or they no longer ask for something that you know they would like. Instead, let's get creative and use our imaginations to surprise these special people with a thoughtful gift that you believe will make their life a little easier or will bring them comfort and pleasure.

A relative who loves to read but whose eyesight is deteriorating might appreciate a magnifier. There are handy versions that wrap around the neck so that the elderly or just farsighted can continue to needlepoint, knit or cross-stitch. Or give them several pairs of reading glasses so they can always have a pair close at hand. You might also consider giving them a reading glass necklace or strap.

An easy to read calendar clock acts as a useful reminder and helps with daily routines and, although not very glamorous, a battery powered can opener will be welcomed by anyone suffering from arthritis or rheumatism. As they age seniors have difficulty getting their shoes on so a long-handled shoehorn is sure to be appreciated. There are even tools that help seniors with their socks! Along the same lines is a bracelet tool to help latch a bracelet and a zipper hook to make it easy to reach the zipper in a back closing dress. These dressing tools are particularly helpful for the new widow or widower.

Older adults are always interested in the weather. Couple that with their need to dress appropriately and a great gift for them is an indoor-outdoor thermometer. These nifty gadgets make it easy to take a quick glance at the thermometer and know the temperature inside and out.

If your older adult friend likes to go to games to watch the grandkids play then consider giving them a bleacher chair. The ones that feature backs are particularly helpful for older people who need back support or who have back issues. For even short walks some seniors have difficulty and need to take a break so a chair cane is a helpful tool. There are lots of styles from which to choose including leaning, folding and umbrella styles. Just make sure to avoid the low camp styles for younger people. Seniors can't arise from a low position.

Send Gifts from Travels to Older Friends

If the senior in your life is beyond traveling on their own be sure to send them postcards from your own travels. Consider remembering them with something practical like a t-shirt or hoodie from a town you know that visited at one time. Some older people collect baseball caps, miniature spoons, sewing thimbles, coins, stamps or other items. So send them a new item from the cities you visit to add to their collection. They will know that you were thinking about them and took the time to select a gift just for them. Or once you return home, select a photo of the entire family from the trip and add a personalized picture frame and give it to them for their birthday or Christmas. Trust me, the next time you visit it will be prominently displayed in their home!

Seniors Love Family Name Plaques and Other Wood Signs

Older adults love to tinker around their homes to make them a welcoming retreat for their visitors. So consider sending them a family name sign to help them put out a welcome sign on their porch or in the foyer. Give them the opportunity to enjoy a chuckle with a funny quote on a plaque or inspire them with an inspirational saying on a rustic wood sign. If you have an older friend who likes to garden entertain giving them a garden sign or garden plaques and stepping stones. Visit the Arttowngifts.com Sign Shop for lots of wood sign or wrapped canvas signs.

Send Senior Gifts that are Just for Fun

OK we have covered all of the gifts for seniors for more serious reasons, now it is time to just have some fun. Whether you send them a funny card for “just because” or to remember a special day, your older friends always enjoy being remembered and having their sense of humor tested. So find a particularly funny puzzle they will enjoy putting together and send it their way. Or there is an abundance of funny coffee mugs that you can personalize. Send a gift basket featuring items related to their favorite hobby and they will enjoy both the gourmet treats, tools of the trade and in some cases the mementos.

Giant Fortune Cookie

If your relatives and friends enjoy a good laugh and a gift that will make an impression send them a giant fortune cookie to enjoy. These huge cookies are not only tasty, the fortune inside is your personalized gift message. These cookies come in giant and super giant sizes and are over the size of a football. Just imagine a cookie that weighs over a pound and includes a foot long message. Fortune cookies are baked here in the US with only the finest ingredients, including high-quality Belgian chocolate They are dipped in your choice of chocolates and decorated with sprinkles and designer candies. There are designs for every holiday and occasion. Even your mother-in-law is sure to enjoy this gift!

Game or Dart Board Gift Baskets

Yes, they actually combine games, cards and dart boards with gourmet treats and cheese to make great gift baskets for seniors. Some even have puzzle books and crossword puzzle books. Whatever you choose it is sure to be appreciated and it will keep your senior on their toes!

Drum-roll please …. Just imagine the delight of a widowed great-aunt, an elderly friend without their own children or even a retired co-worker opening an unexpected gift with a short gift message from you. Regardless of the gift, they are sure to be even more thrilled that you thought of them. I can hear them bragging about you to their friends and family for weeks to come. And it is a great way to respect your elders who you may only for a few more years.

About The Authors

Rachel Stinson has always had a knack for writing, food, fashion, and places. Blogging has combined all four for her with an added bonus of enthusiastic audiences. She expertly analyzes real estate, restaurants, and online fashion stores with respect to pricing and people involved and can express her opinions in an unhesitating, engaging manner for a variety of topics. 

Thea B Few, a retired print publishing executive, writes about subjects of interest to online shoppers.