Gift Ideas For Older Parents

Unique Gift Ideas For Older Parents

If you’re looking for must have gift ideas for older parents and grandparents, then you’re in the right place! Introducing our bumper list of gifts for the elderly.

From personalised gifts and dementia-friendly gifts to the best presents to stay active in later life, there is something for everyone – no matter how hard they are to buy for.

There’s a range of budget options, but it’s not about the money spent – these gift ideas for older parents show you care at Christmas or any time of the year. We’ve got a number of categories, you can always use the table of contents below to help navigate to a specific part. We hope you find it useful!

Some of the links in this article are affiliate which means if you click on them, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

If you’re here looking for ideas to brighten up your parent’s day during lockdown, then check out our article on activities for the elderly. There’s a range of indoor and safe outdoor activities, and there’s some good ideas for people with limited mobility too.

Tech Gifts For Older Parents

If you’re looking for great gadgets for the elderly, look no further. These are our favourite gadgets to help people stay connected and entertained. Some of these presents may be more practical than luxury, but they’re sure to improve quality of life for your favourite older person. They make great Christmas gifts for older people or just simply if you want to send gifts for people in isolation.

Amazon Echo Show (second generation)

This has to be one of our favourite useful gifts for older parents – and don’t just take our word for it as other caregivers agree!

This new version of the Amazon Echo Show lets family members and friends ‘drop in’ and share some face time with the user. So you can reliably make and receive video calls more easily with your parent, no matter how techy (or not!) they are.

There’s nothing technical for them to do, or button to push so it’s great for people with dementia or cognitive decline. This helpful tool for the elderly is a really entertaining and comforting way to be together when you’re apart. Find out more about why we think the Echo Show is so good for the elderly here.

Call Alert For The Hard Of Hearing

This small but mighty call alert tool is fantastic for older adults who are hard of hearing and struggle to hear the phone ring.

Plug it into a phone socket and when the phone rings, it will flash and ring loudly too, ensuring no phone call is missed. A great way to keep your elderly relatives connected and give you peace of mind that they are safe.

The Best Wireless TV Speaker For The Hard Of Hearing

We’ve written about the Sony Wireless TV Handy Speaker before – but we love it so much we can’t stop talking about it! This nifty gadget enhances the sound of the TV wherever the hearing impaired person is, without making it too loud for anyone else in the room.

So much better than a sound bar which just makes the sound louder (for everyone), this enhances dialogue and makes speech clearer. You can read our full review here or click below to buy it. We’ve also written about other products for the hard of hearing in this article.

DAB Bluetooth Radio

If your parents like listening to the radio and use Amazon Alexa devices (such as an Amazon Echo), then this wireless portable radio is a great gift. It looks like a traditional radio but does so much more effortlessly.

The Roberts iStream3 is a smart music speaker that allows easy access to thousands of radio stations and podcasts as well as streaming services.

Gifts To Keep The Elderly Warm Outside

As lockdown continues, it’s likely that reunions with our loved ones will take place outside. Keep your elderly relatives safe and warm with these cold weather clothing, accessories and smart gadgets – set to keep them warm in and outside.

Warm Winter Coat

This red puffa coat (also available in black) is stylish, warm and is easy to do up. The buttons are just for show – the coat actually fastens with velcro and popper fastenings, which is great for older people who have reduced hand dexterity. It’s by The Able Label, a brand which creates quality clothing for independent living.

Heated Waistcoat

A heated waistcoat or heated gilet can be a game-changer for staying warm outside. This one has a rechargeable battery that generates heat across your mid back and chest for up to ten hours of comfortable warmth.

Reusable Hand Warmers

These chargeable hand warmers are a great gift idea to keep hands toasty warm even when the weather isn’t. They’re also a good gift for people with arthritis as they aid circulation and provide relief from aches and pains.

We like these USB reusable hand warmers from Amazon.

Heated Blanket

Stay warm inside with a heated blanket – great for using when the heating is off, or a real blast of warmth is needed. As our parents get older, they can often feel the cold more easily so this cuddly yet practical gift can be very well received! We like this fleecy grey blanket. It has ten different heat settings and a built in timer for added safety.

Sheepskin Lined Slippers

We love CosyFeet – a British company which makes stylish shoes, slippers and socks for people with wide feet. And these sheepskin lined booties are great for keeping people comfortable and warm this winter.

The wool upper gently moulds to the shape of the foot and the breathable sheepskin lets the feet breathe. They’re cushioned and super comfy!

Useful and practical gifts can sometimes be the best gifts of all. If you think your favourite older adult could benefit from more support when walking, look at our guides on walking aids and walking sticks.

Games To Stay Entertained

Games can entertain, boost memory power, while away the time – all in all, they’re a great gift idea. Here are some of our favourites.

Easy Game To Play In The Armchair

Mancala is an ancient African game where players sow ‘seeds’ – I’ve got a soft spot for this as I was given one as a present years ago. This version comes with colourful crystals as pieces. Not only does it make for a beautiful entertaining present, but picking up and moving the small crystals is good for hand mobility. 

Stay Active With Croquet

Croquet is a great game option which can be played solo or with a few other people – making it ideal for lockdown.

This premium kit is a memorable gift if your parent wants to get more active while it’s harder to be out and about. The mallet helps with balance, the coloured balls are easy to spot and moving between the posts (even in a small garden) can help increase their step count.

Large Print Scrabble

Scrabble is so good to flex brain power! This classic game is available in large print (in conjunction with the RSPB) or original here.

Go The Extra Mile With Personalised Gifts

Parents and grandparents can be so difficult to buy for can’t they? They say they don’t want anything – but then you give them a sentimental gift that they treasure, and you know it’s a success! We love personalised presents – they’re unique gifts for the parents who have everything. Here’s our favourite personalised gifts.

Trace The Family Tree

Go back in time and let your parents find your family tree with FindMyPast. This ancestry website is fascinating, letting you go back through the generations and unlock your family’s history. This is a great activity for the elderly – it’s engaging, interesting and gives you all plenty to talk about! You can sign up to FindMyPast for one month or for a rolling 12-month subscription (or even try it for free for 14 days).

Personalised Photo Frame

Pick three of your favourite family photos and send them in this personalised wooden photo frame engraved with your own sweet message.

Personalised Photo Coasters

Make elevenses fun with these personalized photo coasters. There are glass, slate and wooden options available – but we really like these custom coasters!

Personalised Mouse Mat

I personally know these are a great present, because I was given one myself (it had a photo of my gorgeous nephew on!). If your older parents use a computer and can’t see their grandchildren much, it’s a nice way to upgrade a fairly boring but necessary piece of household equipment. Great gift ideas for grandma and grandpa, it’s sure to make them smile.

Dementia Friendly Gifts

Our articles on dementia activities are some of the most popular on our website – so we know that people want to find dementia friendly gifts. Here are our favourite gifts for someone with dementia.

Click her and be inspired by our article on the best calming and fun activities for people living with dementia. Or check out our favourite puzzles for dementia.

Books For People With Dementia

These Happy Books are great gifts for people with dementia. They are colourful picture books in large print focusing on different topics (such as Sports or Babies).

Communication can be difficult with loved ones who have dementia, and these picture books have been designed to encourage conversation and bring back memories.

Arts And Crafts For Dementia

Research into dementia and art therapy has shown that it can have positive health benefits for people, including reducing blood pressure and making them feel more calm.

This reusable water painting art activity of ocean life comes with five designs and has been specially developed by Relish (formerly Active Minds) to nurture the minds of people living with dementia. Their products are fab – we recommend other Relish products in our ‘best indoor games for the elderly‘ article.

Twiddle Muff For Dementia

Twiddle muffs are a fantastic dementia gift. People living with dementia often have restless hands and sensory aids like twiddle muffs give them something to do, whilst also helping them to stay calm and relaxed. We like this one shaped like a dog below, or you can get crafty and make your own!

Christmas Gifts For Gardeners

We’ve all come to rely on our gardens even more this year, so a useful (or even unusual) gardening gift is a great idea. We’ve written all about gardening tips for people as they get older too if you want to check that out – but without futher ado, here are our favourite Christmas gifts for gardeners.

Best Garden Secateurs

We have it on good authority (from our founder Nancy’s mum) that these are the best garden secateurs. Hand made in Japan, they are exact and lightweight – at just 190g, they are suitable for people with arthritis in their hands. The bright yellow grip also means they are easy to find, and you can buy a version for the left or right hand, or even larger hands.

And if you want to learn about other useful products for people with arthritis, then you’re in luck!

Raised Garden Beds

Raised garden beds look great but are also good for elderly gardeners as they don’t have to lean down or kneel. These raised planter boxes are easy to assemble and are covered in water-resistant paint so are durable enough for outdoor use all year long. There are eight separate cubes so you can grow different flowers, herbs and vegetables separately and each cube has drainage.

Indoor Kitchen Herb Garden

This is the future of kitchen herb gardens! The VegeBox is eco-friendly and comes with automated, LED lights to ensure plants flourish. You can use it for herbs, but also to grow flowers and plants. It’s easy to maintain – the roots are suspended in water and air so they get enough water and oxygen for fast and healthy growth and long life.

Care Home Gift Ideas

When my partner’s grandma was in a care home, he always gave her sweet-smelling soap for Christmas so that she had lovely products to wash with. Here are our suggestions for best gifts for a relative in a care home (soap not included!). They can easily be sent if you’re not able to visit them in the care home too.

Digital Photo Frame

Essentially this is a picture frame that you can send pictures to! It can sit in your parents’ care home and you can update it with photos of you and the family at the touch of a button. If your older parent doesn’t have WiFi in thir room then there are digital photo frame options that work with a USB, and show the photos loaded on there. It’s a really great thoughtful gift idea for older parents and grandparents.

Pillow Mist

This natural sleep aid is proven to aid a good night’s sleep and is great for a restless sleeper. Your loved one can spray it on the pillow to help them fall asleep faster, reduce sleep anxiety and improve sleep quality.

Weighted Blanket

Another present to encourage a good night’s sleep is a therapeutic weighted blanket. The extra pressure from the weight mimics a therapeutic technique called deep pressure stimulation which relaxes the nervous system. A great care home gift idea, we like this weighted blanket from Amazon.

Thoughtful Gifts For People With Parkinson’s Disease

Here are some suggestions of gifts for people with Parkinson’s disease. We’ve chosen gifts that they can enjoy and will make their life easier at the same time.

Stylish Adaptive Clothes

The Able Label makes beautiful clothes for men and women that make it easier to get dressed. Keep warm in this coat which has buttons for display only. The coat fastens with a combination of velcro and poppers to encourage independent fastening.

The Able Label has a range of clothes for men and women. From underwear and loungewear to blouses and shirts, trousers, dresses and more.

Weighted Pen

People living with Parkinson’s disease may experience micrographia (very small, cramped handwriting), or they may find it hard to write with a pen due to hand tremors. A weighted pen can help people with Parkinson’s by controlling the hand, making writing more legible.

Journal

This gift can work alongside the weighted pen. Daily journalling (writing in a journal) can help to relieve anxiety. Encourage your loved one to write down their thoughts in this one.

Active Gift Ideas

Elderly exercise is so important to strengthen the body and the mind. Here are some physiotherapist recommended exercise products for the older person in your life.

Extra Padded Exercise Mat

Great for pilates and yoga fans! An extra padded exercise mat will make it easier and more comfortable for your older loved one to do their floor exercises or get up and down from the floor.

Webbed Swimming Gloves

These water aerobics gloves use body resistance for a great upper body workout in the swimming pool. Made from neoprene, they are comfortable and can be used for swimming or water aerobics.

Easy Grip Water Bottle

An easy grip water bottle is a good active gift for people as the ergonomic grip design means they can take water with them easily on a walk or a run.

No Tie Shoelaces

These no tie laces are great inexpensive gifts for people with arthritis or limited hand strength as they can easily put their trainers on without worrying about the laces.

Gift Ideas For Wildlife Lovers

Want to know what to get someone who loves wildlife, animals and nature? Here’s our top pick of gift ideas for animal lovers.

Bat Boxes

Bats are important for our eco-system but their numbers are dwindling. Give a nature lover a bat box. This artificial roost provides bats with alternative resting places or encourages them into new areas. This bat box has been designed by the Bat Conservation Trust.

Nordic Walking Poles

Nordic walking is becoming ever more popular (plus it’s a great socially distanced exercise!). Pole walking for seniors has great benefits, helping to increase balance and mobility and reduce pressure on your joints.

Nordic walking poles can be height adjusted, encourage straight posture and have ergonomic handles.

We like the ones below as a starter (they’re not too expensive and are best sellers).

 

Conclusion

We hope you found our big list of gift ideas for older parents and grandparents useful. All these gifts can be sent easily if you’re not able to be with them (more important this year than ever before). We hope you find something you and they will like. Happy gifting!