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When selecting a gifts for the elderly, it is always a good idea to consider their living arrangements, their hobbies, their interests, their heath, their diets, and their financial situations.

If your Uncle Bob and Aunt Sue have downsized and moved into a smaller home, a retirement villa or even in with their daughter Mary, they probably do not need nor want anymore trinkets, clocks, linens, ties, or pot holders. Uncle Bob could be watching his sugar while Aunt Sue is trying to cook healthier foods for him. She is not going to appreciate your large box of chocolates, but would welcome the fruit basket. Both Bob and Sue quite possibly are spending most of their income on medication and could be worried about paying their electric bill so an expensive throw to add to their overstuffed linen closet is probably not going to be the gift they cherish.

It is always a good idea to visit your elderly family and friends and pay attention to anything they bring up and use this information when you go to pick out gifts for them. If Uncle Bob complains about the cost of long distance calls to his brother, purchasing a phone calling card would be perfect for him. If Aunt Sue mentions the medications are so expensive or the grocery bill is rising, then purchase a gift certificate at their favorite grocery store or drug store.

If you have the time or special skills, offer your services as a gift. You can handwrite a gift certificate for a day or a chore, to do something they need taken care of, such as cleaning the gutters, raking leaves, fixing that leak in the kitchen sink, planting tomato plants, or even just taking them out to eat or to visit an out of town relative if they do not feel comfortable driving.

If time is a problem or they do not live close by, it is always a good idea to select gifts that can be consumed or used up instead of items they have to find spaces to store, set out or dust. Examples of this could be lotion, the unscented versions, small containers of non perishable food items, stamps and cards, a calendar, small picture frames, small versions of toiletries like toothpaste, shaving cream, mouthwash and soap.

If you know they have hobbies or interests, Uncle Bob enjoys jigsaw puzzles and Aunt Sue is never without her crossword puzzle book, of course it is quite appropriate to add to their collections, but it is never a good idea to decide on a hobby for them. Just because your grandmother embroidered doesn't mean Aunt Sue can thread a needle or has any desire to learn.

Gift ideas:
1. Gift certificates: grocery store, drug store, hobby store
2. Gifts of time: to perform needed tasks, shopping trips, family trips
3. Non perishable food items, small size toiletries
4. Useful items: stamps, frames, calendars

If you are totally at a loss of what to select, there absolutely nothing wrong with just asking them if there is any particular thing they want or need. Uncle Bob make be wanting an MP3 player or a Sports Illustrated subscription. As with any gift or the elderly or the youth in your life, your gifts will be more appreciated when it comes from your heart and it shows you were thinking especially of them when you selected it.

Learn more about this author, Madison Briggs.
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