Inexpensive Gift Ideas For The Elderly

Just because you’re giving your senior citizen friend an inexpensive gift doesn’t mean they won’t appreciate it.

With the tough economic times we’re going through, I know of a lot of people who are out of work and can’t afford expensive Christmas, Birthday, of for that matter, any holiday gifts for their elderly loved ones this year.

The good news is that the elderly generally could care less about tangible gifts – they either:

1. Have everything they need or

2. Are downsized in their living quarters and have no room for anything else.

This is good news for those of us who might be on a budget but still want to give our elderly loved ones a nice inexpensive gift. That’s why I created this article; I’ll show you how to show your love and respect this Christmas season to an elderly loved one and not spend much money doing it – inexpensive gifts for a senior citizen can be every bit (if not more) cherished than expensive presents.

My Favorite Inexpensive Gift For The Elderly: Make A Slideshow Of Favorite Times With Your Senior Citizen Friend

One of the very best inexpensive gifts I gave to my parents was a slideshow I made and put to music. My folks had everything they ever wanted or, if they didn’t, they usually beat me to the store to get whatever was on their wish list. Ah, but I knew that they would love another slideshow.

Slideshows are very easy to make these days. You can probably use a program that came with your computer but I prefer to use a program specifically for the creation of slideshows. The software is quite reasonably priced these days.

I have invested in a few photo editing software packages, including PhotoShop Elements. These packages offer more choices for transitions into slideshows, editing pictures, and importing and exporting the revised photos or slideshows.

Here’s a few relatively inexpensive programs:

 Adobe Photoshop Elements 12Check Price Photo and Video Pro Suite X5Check Price Magix PhotoStory on CD and DVD 10Check Price

Digitize their photos

We all have a mass of photos lying around. I even have some old polaroids! Take the time to scan in their old photos and show your elderly loved one how to view them on a computer, or, even better, give them a digital picture frame that will automatically play a slide show of family and friends.

Set up a Facebook account

Facebook may have its problems, but, when it comes to staying in touch with the elderly, it’s a wonderful tool. Set up an account for Grandpa or Grandma and show them how to use it. Check in with them every day or so just to say ‘Hello.’

Give The Gift of a Mini-Grooming Session For A Senior Citizen’s Pet

It’s difficult for arthritic hands to groom a pet so, if you see that Fluffy is getting a bit ragged around the edges, give him or her a bath or a good brush or, if it’s a cat, wipe him or her down with a damp washcloth. You can also find a good grooming shop in the area and offer to drop off and pick up their dog or cat.

 Wahl 9281-210 Pet-pro Kit 13 Piece Pet Grooming Kit – Deluxe Series, Chrome/grayCheck Price Conair PRO Dog Round Tip Shears, 6-InchCheck Price Deshedding Tool & Pet Grooming Tool For Small, Medium & Large Dogs + Cats, With Short to Long HairCheck Price

Create a coupon book

which your elderly loved one can redeem. Set up coupons for things that they might need help doing, like changing batteries in the smoke detectors, or checking the light bulbs. Add in a few coupons which can be redeemed for the activity of their choice. Print the coupon book on nice color stock paper and add a picture of the two of you to the front cover for a really nice presentation.

Create a Memory Jar

This is a very cool idea and only takes your time and a some paper and pens. Cut the paper into six large pieces and write a favorite memory you have of your elderly loved one on each slip. Things like ‘I used to love to watch you make cookies’ will delight Grandma. And, she can pull out the memories anytime she wishes, as many as she wishes. Have other family members add their memories also; make sure everyone signs their memories.

Give Your Senior Friend A Memory Book

Memory books are not only a great gift to give to an elderly loved one but are also an investment in the future for generations to come. Memory books are blank books with lead questions on each page to jog your senior citizen friend’s memory. You can read more about memory books by clicking this link: Create A Memory with Memory Books.

Make A Few Of Your Senior Citizen Friend’s Favorite Dishes

Most senior citizens will be delighted if you show up with one of their favorite old-time recipes. I used to love to make dishes for my Mom that reminded her of her youth like matzo ball soup, ruggelah cookies, and beet borscht. Sometimes, I was lucky enough to have a handwritten recipe from a relative or, more often than not, I had to go looking through some old time cookbooks. I always made extra and used my vacuum sealer to freeze future meals.

When cooking for the elderly, make sure you are aware of dietary restrictions. The last thing in the world you want to do is to send someone to the hospital after your delicious meal.

Here’s a few cookbooks that have good recipes for old timers:

 Betty Crocker’s Old-Fashioned CookbookCheck Price The Old Farmhouse Kitchen: Recipes and Old-Time NostalgiaCheck Price Old-Time Farmhouse Cooking: Rural America Recipes & Farm LoreCheck Price Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to CookCheck Price The Prudhomme Family Cookbook: Old-Time Louisiana Recipes by the Eleven Prudhomme Brothers and Sisters and Chef Paul PrudhommeCheck Price

Freeze individual meals

When my parents lived in Arizona, I would go visit them frequently. During these visits, Mom and I would make up a lot of meals which I would then vacuum seal and put in their freezer. Their favorite meals were homemade macaroni and cheese, shrimp in butter sauce with noodles, and meatloaf. At least, with our own home cooking in the freezer, I knew what they were eating!

Bring Over a Set of Dominos or Any Game Your Senior Citizen Friend Would Like

More than receiving a gift, most senior citizen’s would love your company while playing a familiar game such as dominos or rummy cube. Bring family and friends around and make a memory of the evening. There is really no better inexpensive gift you can give than the gift of your time.

 Jumbo Garden Domino SetCheck Price Rummikub Large Number EditionCheck Price Dominoes Tournament Size, Double 6 Set _ with Color DotsCheck Price