Trying to find the right gift for an aging loved one can be difficult. Father’s Day is right around the corner and many are struggling to think of ideas that are both thoughtful but not insulting.
How could a gift for an elderly loved one be insulting? If you are worried about them potentially injuring themselves so you buy a high-tech monitoring system that watches them 24/7, they might be hurt or feel their privacy is being invaded. You should also think that many aging fathers are not going to learn a completely new gadget even if it comes with an impressive price tag. Try to avoid pushing them out of their comfort zone if they have shown resistance to that before – especially with new technology.
Also, if your aging loved one has experienced recent changes like weight gain, getting them a gym membership is likely not the best Father’s Day gift. We wanted to compile a few different gift ideas that we have heard are valued and consistently appreciated by aging loved ones to help you this Father’s Day.
- Update old and dangerous appliances for them: Let’s be honest, appliances that were built decades ago really seemed to be built to last. However, that toaster from the 1980’s that your elderly loved one still uses daily might not have all the proper safety features those new ones do. Update their dangerous and old appliances that help them while giving you peace of mind.
- Simplified remotes: This is one of those gifts that can borderline on insulting IF your loved one hasn’t expressed frustration with their current TV remote. If you’ve found your parent sitting in their assisted living suite staring at a blank screen expressing the TV “never seems to work” then this is a good gift idea.
- Aura Digital Photo Frame: You will need to do the initial setup for this photo frame but once you have it working, your father will love seeing the pictures getting updated daily. The app is super simple for you as the caregiver to upload new photos to and will sync with Apple photos or Google Drive photos. Another cool idea with this product is to have it house any grandkids artwork that you can take pictures of. Since it is all WIFI-based, all you have to do is take a minute to upload some new pictures each week.
- Puzzles: Probably not the flashiest gift but we have found that if you have an aging father that likes to do puzzles, give them what they want! Sometimes, we try to put too much thought into a gift that goes unused after being unwrapped. If they like puzzles, give him what he enjoys!
Good luck this Father’s Day and be sure to be thoughtful in your gift purchases. You want to think usable, enjoyable, and appreciated. Don’t focus too much on the price tag!