Thursday, June 13, 2019

How to Prepare a Gift for Seniors: 10 Tips (A Weighted Blanket)

Coming up with good gifts for elderly people can sometimes be a huge challenge. After all, many seniors have particular tastes or more stuff than they know what to do with. But there are plenty of ways you can make them feel special. For many  seniors, the key elements of a gift are practicality and functionality. If you can come up with something that will make their lives easier, healthier, or more fun, you can bring a smile to their faces.

Below are 10 tips that may help you to prepare a meaningful gift for older men and women, elderly parents and grandparents.

1. A Weighted Blanket—A weighted blanket is useful for a number of different kinds of people as well as for senior citizens who have no underlying medical condition, but have trouble sleeping. It helps people sleep, feel safe, warm and secure.

This blanket is based on Deep Pressure Touch Stimulation which activates and stimulates the deep pressure touch receptors in a person’s body. When the body is stimulated this way, serotonin is released. This gives the person stimulated a feeling of being grounded, calm and secure. In some ways, it feels like a warm hug from a caring person.

The best weighted blankets I recommend is YnM, one of the best sellers of weighted blankets on Amazon, provides quality weighted blankets with a budget friendly prices. YnM blanket is available in different weights: from 5 pounds to 25 pounds, suitable for both the children and the adults. The company recommend that adults purchase a blanket that is 5% – 10% of their body weights. For children, they typically recommend blankets that are 10% of their body weights.

2. Brain games—Puzzles and games that engage the brain offer numerous health benefits for elderly men and women. Crossword puzzles, word searches, and sudoku books make great gifts for seniors who enjoy a mental challenge. You could even include a personalized pencil for an extra special touch.

3. Weather monitor—Many elderly parents appreciate knowing what the weather is like before going outside, so a device that displays the current conditions, as well as the forecast, can make a great gift. Wireless systems require the installation of an outdoor sensor, so you may want to take care of that yourself. Look for a monitor with a large display that's easy to read.

4. Photo book—Customized photo books that include detailed captions identifying people and places make fantastic gifts for people with dementia. Companies such as Shutterfly and Walmart make it easy to upload photos and quickly create a book that your gift recipient will love.

5. Picture phone—Help your elderly friend easily connect with the people in his or her life. Not only can the enlarged numerical buttons be programmed, but each one has space for a photo of the contact, so your loved one only has to push a single button to dial the appropriate person's number.

6. Day clock—Having a clock that displays the date, day of the week, and time of day along with the hour can be a great way for seniors dealing with dementia or memory issues to orient themselves. Most so-called "Alzheimer's clock" models have extra large displays for easy viewing, and some also allow you to adjust the dimness level.

7. Robotic cat or dog—Allow your loved one to experience the companionship of a pet without the responsibility of caring for a living creature! Specifically designed to comfort older adults, these robotic pets sport realistic fur along with sensors that allow them to respond to human touch.

8. Non-slip socks—How about a gift that combines fashion and function? Socks with rubber grips on the bottom can keep an older person's feet toasty warm while also preventing falls. You have your choice of a huge range of colors and styles, including some aimed at men.

9. A trip to a favorite place—If the senior has a favorite place to visit, such as out to a concert or a movie, library or museum, take them out to enjoy that. Make a plan to take them to their favorite place a couple of times throughout the year. That promise can be part of the gift as well.

10. Key finder—This is one of the most useful gifts for the elderly people in your life who constantly misplace their house keys. Ranges vary, but some models work up to 300 feet away. Seniors who have smartphones may appreciate a finder that uses Bluetooth technology; those who are more old school may prefer the radio-frequency-based devices.

Selecting the perfect gifts for elderly friends and family members doesn't have to be difficult. Use the tips above for inspiration—and make a senior feel special!

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