Christmas Gifts for Elderly Women & Men

Is it really December already? That’s right, it’s time to say goodbye to autumn and hello to woolly mittens and frosty mornings. If you’re looking forward to Christmas, that means it’s time to get started shopping for your loved ones.

Kids are relatively easy to buy for – they’ll tell you right away what toys they want. But it can be more difficult to find the perfect gift for elderly parents who have everything they need already.

That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide to gifts for elderly women, gifts for elderly men and great gifts for any older person. Read on, and you’ll find your Christmas shopping this year is a breeze!

Gifts for elderly women

Magnifying glass necklace

What’s better than a gift that’s beautiful and useful?

If you know an older woman who struggles to read smaller print, try out this sterling silver magnifying glass pendant. This attractive pendant makes reading small print easy, and as it’s on a necklace, it’s not easily misplaced. At the same time, it’s attractive and arrives in a pretty gift box, just like any other piece of jewellery.

Lightweight fleece jacket

It’s well known that, for several reasons, older people tend to feel the cold more. That’s why these multi-purpose light fleece jackets are perfect gifts for elderly women.

Firstly, the collarless style and light material makes the jacket perfect as an extra cosy layer under an ordinary outdoor jacket or coat. It’s like an additional lining that the wearer can add in as they please.

Secondly, when an older lady is at home, she might want a comfortable layer for extra warmth. This jacket’s loose fit and shorter cut makes it comfortable to wear in bed as a bed jacket or while sitting in a chair, as there will be no bulky, uncomfortable folds of fabric around the hips.

Sonic jewellery and glasses cleaner

As older people’s hands grow less dextrous, they may struggle more with tasks like cleaning glasses and intricate pieces of jewellery.

A sonic jewellery cleaner makes cleaning these items easy. Look for one that doesn’t require a special cleaning solution – then all you’ll need is water and potentially a few drops of washing up liquid.

Gifts for elderly men

Talking watch

Many older men have worn watches for most of their life and take pride in wearing a handsome, classic watch. However, when elderly men’s vision becomes weaker, they find it harder to see the time on traditional analogue watches.

This talking watch resembles a traditional watch, with an analogue, gold-tinted clockface. However, its numbers and hands are made larger to help men with weaker vision see them clearly. What’s more, this watch actually says the time out loud at the press of a button – even better for senior men who are experiencing significant vision impairment.

Elderly-friendly apps

Some seniors today are quite tech-savvy, using tablets and computers to video call with family or read the news. However, they might not explore all the possibilities that technology offers because apps popular with young people don’t interest them.

That’s why it’s great to look out for high-quality apps that are designed to cater to older people’s interests. For example, if your elderly loved one has an iPad, try the Gin Rummy app, which has 4.7 out of 5 stars and over 136,000 ratings on the Apple store. Apps like this one are quick and easy to install but can make fantastic gifts for elderly men.

Extra-large jigsaw puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles with large-sized pieces are great for older men whose hand pain or stiffness would make it difficult to pick up ordinary-sized puzzle pieces. If kids are visiting, puzzles can be a fun bonding activity, but putting them together alone is also a pleasant pastime. Moreover, the simple task of assembling a jigsaw puzzle is well suited to older men in the earlier stages of dementia.

For even more appeal, choose a puzzle that relates to your elderly loved one’s interests, such as a puzzle depicting trains or a detailed garden. Dad or Grandpa can even use the puzzle as an opportunity to teach younger relatives something about the world, such as geography.

Gifts for elderly people

Electronic cooking gadgets

Many older people experience pain in their hands or when standing from conditions like arthritis. These conditions can make it difficult to do the menial tasks of cooking such as standing at a counter to chop or manoeuvring a potato peeler around a potato. Likewise, shaky hands can make it harder to do delicate tasks like fishing a teabag out of a cup.

So, when you’re looking for gifts for elderly parents or loved ones, try thinking about what kinds of dishes they cook often and what tools could make it easier to prepare those meals.

Need some ideas about kitchen gadgets for the elderly? UK kitchenware retailer Lakeland Limited has lots of highly reviewed options ranging from an electric can opener to a non-electronic tea bag squeezer tool to an electric potato peeler that peels large batches of potatoes all at once.

Personal alarms

What could be a better gift than peace of mind?

Naturally, older people value their independence greatly, and the vast majority of them want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. But worries about falls or getting help in an emergency can make living alone seem daunting for a senior.

For example, many older people have long-term health conditions like high blood pressure that put them at greater risk of crises like heart attacks or strokes. They may also have challenges with balance and pain or stiffness in their lower body, symptoms that can all increase the likelihood of a fall and make it more difficult to move fast and get help if an emergency occurs.

Personal alarms are a small, unobtrusive addition to an older person’s life that can make an immense difference when they need it most. If an older person experiences a health crisis that causes them to fall and lose consciousness, or if they just fall and strike their head, an alarm with automatic fall detection will automatically call for help even when its wearer isn’t able to press a button.

A one-touch personal alarm also makes sure they aren’t without aid if an emergency occurs. Older people who can’t move quickly or can’t easily dial a phone due to hand stiffness or vision problems can immediately press a single button to get help fast.

Super-soft foot warmer

We’ve already mentioned that older people tend to have lower body temperatures. But they’re especially liable to feel the cold in extremities like hands and feet.

That’s where this super-soft faux fur foot warmer comes in. An older person can just slip their feet inside the cosy pocket and feel the warmth from every direction.

Even better, this foot warmer doesn’t require hot water, microwaving or electricity like some warming devices too. That means you don’t need to worry about hot water leaking or electric components overheating – plus it’s cost-saving since there’s no consumption of energy involved.

Specially made socks for arthritic, swollen or diabetic feet

Older people whose feet are larger due to swelling or heavier weight may find it difficult to wear socks you’ll find in a shop because the tight sock tops will hurt their ankles. Seniors with diabetes also have more delicate feet that need extra care, such as socks that don’t have seams that will rub and injure the toes.

Diabetes-friendly soft top socks are a great solution. You can choose them in numerous colours and materials including wool, cotton and bamboo.

Give your elderly loved ones the gift of security this Christmas with SureSafe

SureSafe’s trusted, high-quality and affordable personal alarms for the elderly make wonderful gifts for elderly people. That’s because we offer personal alarms with a wide range of looks and functions to suit any older person’s tastes and needs.

If your older loved one is tech-savvy, try a personal alarm watch that looks just like a smart watch. Or if they prefer not to wear something on their wrist, a talking pendant alarm or even an alarm that can be clipped on the belt are also great options. You have the option of choosing an alarm that calls for help from our top industry-accredited 24/7 response centres, or you can also choose a family and friends alarm that calls the phones of up to five friends and family members for assistance.

No matter what you select when you’re picking out your personal alarm, you and your elderly loved one will have the peace of knowing that they’ll never be without help when they need it.

Our highly reviewed personal alarms offer many more functions to protect older people, too. To learn more, why not call us on 0800 112 3201 for a chat? Alternatively, you can get in touch via our live chat or request a call back.