by Melanie Jongsma, Director of Communications

“Oh, no, I don’t need anything.” Have you heard this from your parents or grandparents when you ask for gift ideas? There may be several reasons they give this answer:

  • They are from a generation that is used to “making do” an not complaining.
  • They are self-sufficient they either buy it themselves, they already own it, or they simply aren’t interested in it.
  • They really don’t need anything — they live in a Providence Life Services community where their day-to-day needs are met.

But what our self-sufficient, unimposing parents and grandparents may not realize is this: We want to give them something! We get more joy from the giving than they do from the receiving.

So if your loved one chooses not to communicate any needs to you, refer to this list for gift-giving ideas, several of which came from Elder Blog, a blog by and for elders:

  1. Large-print versions of books they would enjoy. Or even a Kindle or iPad, which allows readers to enlarge the size of the text they’re reading on-screen.
  2. DVDs of family movies you’ve made throughout the year. Even if your elder is computer-savvy enough to navigate YouTube, sometimes a DVD is simply easier to use and share.
  3. Local cuisine. When my grandmother moved to Florida years ago, there were no White Castles down there. When she visited us at Christmas, one of our holiday meals had to include White Castle hamburgers. At the time, frozen White Castle patties were not available, but that would have been a great gift!
  4. Extravagances they might not buy for themselves. Sure, maybe Dad doesn’t need cologne at this stage in his life, but is there a brand he always used to buy for himself? Perhaps he’s given it up as “unnecessary,” but wearing it again could make him feel good.
  5. Photo books. There are a number of online services that will allow you to upload photos into a template, and then have them printed as a coffee table book. You could make it a tradition to give your parents a photo book each Christmas that shows birthdays, vacations, pets, and ordinary life events throughout the year. Have one printed for yourself at the same time, and you’ll end up with a nice chronicle of your family life.
  6. Repairs and upgrades. If your parents or grandparents still live in their own home, check to see if they need handrails installed, or furniture replaced, or electronics set up for easy use.
  7. Travel-sized games. A Providence staff member whose mom lives in Holland Home (our retirement community in South Holland) once emailed me this idea: “We got my mom some of the ‘traveling’ Milton-Bradley games for her birthday. They’re compact, so they don’t take up much space in her closet or drawers. They also fit into her walker pouch, and she can take them to other friends’ rooms or down to the café. Many have the pieces attached so they can’t be lost.” Classic games like Monopoly, Sequence, Rummikub, Battleship, Skip-bo, Dominoes, and more are all available in a travel-sized version.

 

Do you have other gift ideas? Please share them in the comments below!

Related post: 5 Gift Ideas for Grandma and Grandpa

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