Sleuthing Sunday: Gifts for the Elderly, Disabled or Ill

I’ve seen a lot of searches recently for gifts for the elderly, disabled and gifts for those with long term illness.  So, because the blog has seen so many of these searches lately I thought I would address this need.

There are a few ways to approach this and it largely depends on the situation.  Some elderly people are very healthy and active whereas some of them face a lot of physical challenges.  Similarly, those who are disabled or ill span a wide range of challenges and each case needs to be considered individually, but I do have some general guidelines and links that may be helpful in choosing a personal and thoughtful gift.

First you have to consider why you are searching for this specific gift for _fill in the blank_ and not a gift for their personality, passion/hobby or something unique for them?  Being elderly, ill or disabled does not define a person.  Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with searching for a gift for the elderly, disabled or ill – I just want to point out that maybe by doing this search and not searching for a gift for someone who loves to paint or a gift for a woman or a gift for a pet owner that you may already have a clue as to what sort of gift you are looking for.  Maybe you want to find an assistive gift that improves their quality of life?  If that is the case, I have some links to online catalogs that may help you find the item you are in search of.

• Gold Violin is a site that has a wide variety of helpful products for independent living.
• Active Forever is a similar site that has products ranging from bathroom safety to pet products that make life easier for the pet owner who faces physical challenges.
• Independent Living Aids is an online catalog that has many aids for the visually and hearing impaired.  In addition they also carry medical supplies, mobility devices and even gifts and games for adults and children.
• Soundbytes is a catalog devoted to the hearing impaired but they do have some other helpful products as well.  They have games and gifts and all manner of assistive items that enhance the quality or safety of a loved one in your life.

Don’t forget that just because you are considering someone’s age, illness or disability doesn’t mean you can’t get a personalized gift!  For instance, say your grandmother loves to play bridge but finds cards difficult to hold, you can get her a card holder.  Visit any of the retailers listed above to find a fun and/or helpful present for the person in your life.

Are you having difficulty finding a gift because the person is inactive or not taking pleasure in activities they used to?  Make sure that they aren’t feeling depressed – this can have a huge impact on someone’s life and it would be a great gift to them to pay attention and assist them if possible to find a course of action that can help them.

Also, think about the moment.  A lot of times people say that someone already has everything or doesn’t need anything.  Gifts aren’t necessarily about need – they can be fun, fulfill a desire, inject happiness into a life.  Maybe you know someone who loves to garden or be out in nature that can’t get out as easily anymore – you could have flowers delivered on a regular basis.  They certainly aren’t needed but they add beauty to a space and make it known that you are thinking of them.  What about doing something wild like renting a convertible for a day and taking a road trip, getting ice cream, visiting a petting zoo or going to antique shops.  Spending time with someone and doing it in a fun and different way can really be a gift, even if it isn’t packaged or wrapped as we often think of a traditional present.  Do you want to give them a gift of your time and a present to unwrap?  Whatever your idea is, wrap up something that is a clue or something to use on the day of the event.  Let’s use the example of the day trip, wrap up the key to the car or a Matchbox car with a note that hints at what you are doing or gives them clues to what the outing might entail.  Alternatively, you could keep it a surprise and just send them a “Save the Date” invitation and spend the day doing things with them.  Be innovative.  Think of what they love or might not have had the chance to do and gear it toward that.

Thinking about the moment might be especially nice for those that are elderly or are living with a debilitating illness.  You could even gather ideas by having a casual conversation beforehand asking them what in their life they always wanted to do or what they really loved at one point that they haven’t done in a long time.  Maybe there is a class that they might be interested in that you could sign them up for (or take together) or a tour of a museum or someplace local they’ve never experienced but heard a lot about.  Once you get your creative juices going you may come up with more ideas than you thought were possible and have a hard time choosing!

Regardless of what you choose, give it with the love and kindness that brought you to this post in the first place and your gift will be appreciated no matter what.

Happy gifting!