Gift ideas for parents who still live in their own home?

The Rolodex was a great idea. I've sent packages from Omaha Steaks to a few older relatives. It's convenient for those who don't get to the grocery store as much. Omaha Steaks gave a nice selection of steak/fish, vegetables/potatoes and deserts. Depending on the gift pkg. combination, it can last awhile.

CHOCOLATE IS ALWAYS A WINNER!!!

I've given Mom mulch because she loved to garden. Always a hit is a current picture of the family. Or a picture of them from their youth and putting in a nice frame or a fridge magnet or onto mugs. If you have very young children or grandchildren, they could draw / make coasters or placemats. Lastly, homemade "coupons" for lunch, flower planting, yard cleanup, or anything related to "just because" time. I don't think they want anything expensive. At their age, they prefer our time. And our help without having to ask.

My parents no longer need anything either. But the gift they treasure the most is memories. So we take them special places, like a drive through their favorite park, visit a museum, "walk" through a formal garden or a woods. I put walk in quotes because they are both wheelchair bound, so we pack up the wheelchairs and take them to a paved path through the woods in a local park. We relive those memories many times after, so the gift keeps giving. And you're right about chocolate, Pam.

There are a lot of good suggestions here. It depends on the person and their interests, which is good to encourage at every age. When he was alive, my father used to like recording of old radio shows, or big band era music. At one point, I got my mother a Kindle from Amazon, which might seem unbelievable now, but when her AD was early she could still use it. The value of this is that with a Kindle you can change the font size to ANY size. So that you could read many, many books with a very large font. She was able to use it for nearly a year. There is also a group I have heard of called Local Church Bible Publisher that offer a 24 point spiral bound New Testament excerpt from John, Romans, and Psalms.

Mom is 95 and likes to receive flowers, 40s music, DVDs of old concerts and TV variety shows, soft and fluffy throws to cover her when seated, shoes, slippers, colorful sun-catchers, fancy greeting cards with lots of glitter and especially visits from her daughters and their families.

My mother doesn't see well, so we gave her a BIG digital picture frame. She loves it.

If they like to send greeting cards to family/friends, you could make up address labels for these people. Perhaps 10 each would work, so your parent(s) can just sign a card and put the address label on it. For my Mom her writing has become difficult to read and it isn't easy for her to write, so this is a good solution. Could they benefit from some adjustments around the house? Sturdy railings at stairs, better nightlights, deadbolt locks on doors, new double pane windows, etc. Have a room painted, give them new curtains, reframe their favorite pictures into a nice wall arrangement. Is there a family member or friend they haven't seen in a while? Could you afford to pay that person's plane fare to come for a visit? If their vision is a challenge could they do better with a larger screen television?

As a caregiver I have a special dislike for one thing that people in my family give -- gift cards! Especially those for restaurants we don't visit. They don't offer to do the work of taking them. It is just something else I have to do. Gift cards for places like Wal-Mart or the grocery store someone goes to are fine. Other gift cards are a bad choice unless the recipient drives or you plan to take them to use the card.

The best gift for my mother is something pretty to wear or candy. I can never go wrong if I stick to those two things. The best gift for my father was always something shiny and collectible, or some type of little tool. He was hard to buy for.

Reader's Digest has a large print book. It has interesting and fun things to read.

How about a small CD player and some of the Big Band Tunes or whatever music or stories they liked?

Both my Mother and my MIL love their crocheted necklaces. I found them on Etsy. They are pretty and lightweight and they get a lot of compliments on them.

I ordered from Omaha Steaks, this week for my sister in law. Take a look at that.

Giving of your time is the most valuable gift you can give (anyone).

I agree, time is the thing and my mother really only wants my time and she's starting to resent electronics as they seem to get harder fro her to use. I'd say a Kindle would be a great idea cause it's easy to use but also if they can mange that, a subscription to Audible is wonderful. I use it all the time as I "read" while doing chore in the house, especially dinner and dishes.

Walk in tub (I want one), big magnifying lighted reader (if they have vision problems some of this might be considered a medical expense. Take them on a short sightseeing trip (when I was a kid, we called it a "sunday drive"). My sister in law made a book using old family photos and slides, my dad loves to look at this. She used a company, "picaboo". I printed 8x10 pictures, put them in clear sheet protectors and a notebook. Enlarging photos helped with poor vision. You could even write names, dates, places, a story about the photo of old family moments. (names will be helpful later when they forget people). Have fun.

Thank you all for all the great gift ideas :) Lot of good choices. Mom loves soft chocolates.

What caught my eye were the address labels for cards being mailed out as Dad still has some of his vision and since Mom's writing is now unreadable [she use to have beautiful handwriting] the labels would help.... and I will go to Hallmark and buy greeting cards for them to have on hand, no last minute panic rush for me to go out each time and look for a card couple days before a birthday or anniversary. Reader's Digest large print sound good, too.

I've tried to buy them items from the health care type catalog, but Mom tends to turn her nose up to the items as it doesn't fit well with her décor... well, excuse me... and Dad thinks some of the items are for *old people*.... hello.... my parents are in their 90's, guess so items are for people who are 105 :)

for the mother, try flowers or chocolate, but please, please, no more framed pictures. There is only so much space on a wall. My husband appreciates gift certificates to Barnes & Nobel or local restaurants. Fruit baskets are nice too, but most of all, we like visits and/or letters.
(We are the "old people" you are talking about.)

JessieBelle, my parents occasionally get gift cards for restaurants and the way we solved that problem is to order "carry out", pick up the meal, and have it at home. We've been doing that for many years now with Olive Garden, as going to the restaurant is now too complex for my parents due to hearing and vision, plus finding a table where Mom doesn't feel the air conditioning blowing on her :)

amott6, I know exactly what you mean about framed pictures... my significant other [we both are pushing 70] has two grade school grand-daughters and his daughter is always sending us framed pictures.... enough already.

And no more "World's Best Grandmother or Grand-father shirts or coffee mugs", we appreciate the gifts but it goes into the donation bag the next day. I feel awkward wearing a t-shirt that a stranger is reading what is on my chest.

My mother (90) loves flowers, but is unable to garden any longer. So I take her to pick out hanging baskets she will be able to enjoy for months to come. It also accomplishes getting her moving a bit everyday to water and look at them.

Try dvds of something they enjoy. .The Smithonian or the history channel..I love to watch fishing by Jeremy wade's Fishing Monsters. .Or George Carlin if they like comedy. ..It was a hit with my dad

A house cleaning!! Even just a one time thing would be nice if they will let them do it! My parents still like to travel and go to casinos... my wonderful daughter took them to AC a month ago for their Christmas gift. They all enjoyed it. (Only dad has ALZ,) but he likes to go places and just hovers over Mom, who doesn't mind if she is WINNING!!

I made my mom a CD with favorite hymns and another with songs from her era 40s and then some of their favorite show tunes from 60s. They enjoyed listening to music and this was easy for them.

They loved seafood but no longer we're able to travel or liked going out and spending the money -- so a couple times I ordered steamed crab bushel federal expressed. Maine Lobster has dinners for two with appetizer soup, main meal and dessert --all prepared and shipped in so it just needs re-heated. A great treat they wouldn't splurge on.

Lastly, your presence and time is most appreciated. So do lunch or just do take out and go for a nice drive for the day. That's what mom likes now.

Something else I thought about -- Dr. Christian Northrup talks about how when women reach a certain age, all the stuff we've suppressed all our lives just won't be held back any longer and forces its way up and out. It's like the organism is saying "Enough already!" and just lets it all hang out. Freedom! As a modern philosopher has advised: "Don't get headaches, GIVE them." Or, we might say, BE one!

Perhaps setting them up with your state's library for the blind and physically handicapped? They provide books, magazines, and other media in accessible formats (large print, audiobooks) and also provide the equipment to read or listen to them. This service is free to people with disabilities. Check with your local public library branch to find out more.

I thought a walk-in tub would be great too, UNTIL a plumber pointed out, you have to wait until all the water is drained before you can open the door. You will look like a prune before you get yourself dry! I'm still dreaming of a floor level walk-in shower so I don't fall stepping over the tub.

My mom still likes to send cards and notes to relatives and friends, and doesn't send e-mail, etc. So, she really appreciates postage stamps and boxes of greeting cards. Yesterday, she said she wanted a pedicure for Mother's Day...I was shocked.

Ferris1 -- we've had a walk-in shower for 20 years. Basically, it's just a shower stall because there was no room in there for a tub. Works great. When I first had my surgery, I used a chair and a hand-held shower head. Now I can use the larger bathroom again.

Ivinsw: A peidcure would be wonderful. I now have rods and pins in my back so can't reach my toes. Right now, my husband trims them, but his hands shake so much that I worry that he'll cut my toe off in the process. (He has early Parkinson's) If your mom can no longer reach hers, that would be a wonderful gift.

I think men are the biggest problem as far as gifts go. Haven't seen any good ideas here yet for the men.

irvinsw, excellent idea about giving postage stamps as a gift, I just checked the post office website and they have so many different designs to choose from, for the *forever* stamp, such as a booklet of stamps with songbirds which my Mom will like :)

Framed photos do take up much space, but how about a digital frame? My 94-year-old Mom had both cataracts removed and now has nice new glasses to see better! I keep my gifts simple since I am have been unemployed for over two years and Mom was moved up to a private assisted living place out-of-state. For Mother's Day, I sent her a lovely card with three printed photos from my digital camera. It's too bad Mom does not have an email address or like to use the Internet. Family has to do snail mail for her. My best gift to her is call her once a month. I am planning on visiting her soon. I am unable to fly as much as I would like to to see Mom, but because she is now 94, no one knows how much longer we will visit with each other. My prayers are with Mom.