Christmas gift ideas for Seniors

. For an elderly loved one who lives alone or in an isolated location, a Medical Emergency Notification System such as Life Alert, MedScope, or LifeLine Services is not only a wonderful gift - it could save a life! These devices are designed to be worn by the individual at all times, in either the pendant style or wrist bracelet. In the event the wearer has a medical emergency, such as falling, and is unable to reach the telephone, they can press the big button on the device and emergency medical services will be automatically summoned. These systems cost as low as $14.95 per month, and in some cases the cost my be completely covered by Medicare.

2. Large Button Cell Phone - such as the Jitterbug Cell, and the Jitterbug One Touch. These large button cells make calling easier for the senior citizen, with a lighted display, large buttons, speed dialing, caller ID on a large visual display, and all the functions of a standard cell phone. Price: around $147.00

3. If your elderly loved one has a pet companion, a truly appreciated gift would be pre-paid pet exercising services. Check your local telephone yellow pages for pet exercise services in your loved one’s area. These services are especially appreciated during winter months and the heat of the summer when walking a pet may be dangerous for senior citizens.



4. Check with your local Barbers and Hair Dressers, many will do in-home hair grooming for the elderly. You can pre-pay for the service and arrange the in-home appointment for a convenient time and date for your loved one.

5. Call the local landscapers and lawn care professionals in your loved one’s area and pre-pay for a season of lawn mowing and general lawn care. This is also a service that is greatly appreciated in extremely hot summer months!

6. Large faced electric wall clock. As we age, our eye sight sometimes diminishes. Digital clocks can be confusing and hard to set. A great gift idea for an elderly loved one would be a large faced electric wall clock. No battery to replace, and easy to see from some distance. Price: around $29.00

7. Designed primarily for the hearing impaired, a flashing light doorbell and flashing light telephone can also benefit an elderly loved one who may not always hear the doorbell or the telephone ring. These devices do require installation, and some knowledge of electrical wiring. Price: around $49.95

8. Large Button Universal TV Remote, as electronics strive to become smaller and smaller, they get increasingly harder for the elderly to use. A large button universal TV remote control can make seeing the numbers and pressing the right buttons so much easier! Price: Around $14.95

9. Lap Tables, such as the ones designed for using a lap top computer. These inexpensive tables can be very handy for the elderly to eat meals on, keep track of things such as the cordless telephone, TV remote, and eye glasses. They have literally thousands of uses, and weigh less than 3 pounds so your loved one will have no trouble pushing and pulling them to and from their chair. Price: around $19.00

10. Zippered clothing with large zipper pulls. As we age, buttons and snaps may become increasingly harder to open and close. You can find large zipper pulls in the craft section of most large department stores. A zipper with a large pull tab makes getting dressed a zip! Price: about $2.99 per large pull

Great ideas! Thanks for posting them.