My top picks for gifts to make life easier for elderly in your life, starting with ones I purchased for my own grandparents.
Do you get hung up on finding good gifts to make life easier for elderly in your life?
I’ve watched my grandparents and my husband’s parents transition into retirement, and then from early retirement into their later years. And I’ve noticed how much has changed for them.
With aging, they’ve each faced physical limitations they didn’t have to deal with before. The world has changed around them, as well, and they haven’t kept up with everything.
In other words, I’ve found some real opportunities to help make their lives better and easier, and to adjust to their new needs (just like you want to do).
Which is why each time I have a buying occasion – like their birthdays or Christmas – I like to think of products and services that will help make their life easier in some way.
I’m going to share with you what makes a good gift for the elderly people in your life, and then lots of great ideas that have made my own loved ones’ lives easier in some way.
What are Good Gifts for Elderly?
Gifts that make life easier for elderly in your life help with one of the following:
- Make it easier for them to get around/maintain mobility
- Make it easier for them to see (books, television, at night, etc.)
- Make it easier for them to communicate with others
- Make it easier for them to experience something
- Make it easier for them to do household chores and tasks
- Translate their old treasures (like photos) into modern forms they can use
- Teaches them new skills that allow them to participate in new technology
- Makes them feel more comfortable
Gifts to Make Life Easier for Elderly
Let’s head into the good part – all the great ideas I’ve got for gifts to make life easier for the elderly.
1. Smartphone Screen Magnifier
This was the latest gift I purchased for my grandfather, because he just loves being on Facebook on his phone.
Those screens can be tiny!
You just slide your smartphone on the back area, and then look through it through the magnifier.
Note: It doesn’t magnify it to be the size of the full-screen or anything (like in the photo), but it definitely makes it larger. I even used it once for my at-home yoga practice and it helped.
That’s a win in my book.
2. Shower Foot Scrubber
I bought this product for my grandmother, who has trouble bending completely down, so that she could easily suction it to the bottom of her shower and get her feet nice and clean.
An elderly person could just put it out of the way in the corner of their shower, squirt some body wash on it, and get their feet scrubbed!
Hint: Truth be told – it looks like it would be pretty fun for my feet, too!
3. Laundry Basket on Wheels
My poor grandfather has no cartilage left in his shoulder, and my grandmother has a tough time getting around, too.
That’s why I thought it was genius when I showed up to their home and saw them take their dirty clothes to the laundry area using one of these roller laundry hamper.
4. Large-Format Password Book
Do you know how many passwords my grandmother had to memorize back in 1950? Likely none (or one – to a bank box or something).
Do you know how many passwords she has now?
I would estimate 30+.
This large-format password book helps her to easily flip to what she needs the username/password for, and then to plug it into her smartphone.
One and done.
5. Stylish Walker Bag
How annoying is it to leave what you need down on the first floor, or in another room? Now, imagine doing that when you have trouble getting around.
An elderly person with a walker might really appreciate a walker bag to carry things around with them as they move from room-to-room, or go out and about.
6. Armrest Caddy
One of the simplest inventions to help the elderly? Is the armrest caddy.
My grandmother keeps the three TV remotes plus her reading glasses in hers.
7. Extra Motion-Sensor Lighting for Dark Areas
My grandmother and I had a whole conversation once about how dark her home got, and how important adding extra lights in were to her daily routines.
She said that the older she gets, the darker everything seems.
She’s added in night lights, under-cabinet lights, and touch lights for the closets in the hallway. Each has helped her immensely.
8. Pet Caddy with Wheels
Lugging a pet to the vet by yourself is usually not an easy thing to do. And it can be even more difficult if you have a limp, or can’t carry much weight.
These pet caddies with wheels can help an elderly person still get their cherished pets to the vet, without as much of the hassle.
9. Last Word Bookmark
It’s hard for me to even remember the last word I read on a page when I open a book back up. For my grandmother? Could be nearly impossible (especially when she reads the bible – there’s tons of words on each page!).
That’s why I love this Last Word bookmark – it helps everyone know where to pick back up from.
10. Bed Caddy
Do they spend a good deal of time in bed?
This bed caddy is a great idea – it can hold drinks, remotes, and other things they might want to get to easily.
11. Pill Organizer
Oh, the pills.
Both of my grandparents have several pills to take each day, and at different times of day.
That’s why I like this pill organizer – they can fit in a bunch of pills, and it’s separated from ones they take in the morning, and ones they take in the evening.
Psst: and if they travel? Here’s a really stylish, Vera Bradley pill organizer.
12. Three-Tier Roller Cart
Setting up movable stations filled with things elderly can easily grab in any area of their home can be super helpful.
My grandfather has this three-tier roller cart right next to his lazy-boy chair in the living room.
It’s where he keeps:
- Medicines
- Sudoku to play
- Tissues
- Pens/pencils
- Firefighter scanner
- Replacement batteries
- Etc.
It’s also got a table top, so it dubs as a side table where he can keep snacks and beverages.
Other places they could keep this include the bathroom, the laundry room, the kitchen, the craft room, etc. Really, anywhere where they need access to a bunch of things without walking around a lot.
13. Stylus Pen
Both of my grandparents have found a stylus pen very helpful to use with their iPhones.
These can be a life-saver for keeping Grandma connected, especially if she has arthritis or dexterity issues.
Other Ways to Make Life Easier for Elderly
You can also give the gift of your time, and help the elderly in your life with various tasks that truly can bless them.
Let me show you what I mean, with tasks I’ve helped my own grandparents with over the years.
1. Call Around for Lowest Prescription Prices
I’ve written an entire article about how to get prescriptions cheaper, including how to shop around for the lowest-costing pharmacy for each prescription (that’s right – prescriptions cost different amounts at different pharmacies!).
Helping a senior citizen call around and find the lowest rates for their prescriptions could be huge for them. Think about what might change if they can open up some more cash flow (especially if they’re on a fixed income!).
2. Edit their Smartphone Home Screen
Recently, while visiting my grandparents, I took the time to show my grandmother how to edit her home screen on her phone.
She had 5 different screens that she had to constantly swipe through to find what she was looking for.
SO, we spent about 30 minutes making her phone experience a whole lot less overwhelming. Now, all of the apps she uses daily are on her home screen, there’s room to see the sweetheart picture of her and my grandfather as high-schoolers, and she knows how to delete apps she doesn’t use.
3. Make their Phone more Accessible
Did you know there are tons of ways to make an iPhone more accessible? Things like changing the text size, closed captions, speak screen, and much more.
Take the time to set their phone up so that it’s custom fit to what they need.
When you put some thought and care into the gifts you give to the elderly in your life, you can really make a difference to them. These gifts to make life easier for elderly are just the thing to create an easier daily life that will keep them self sufficient for longer.
Amanda L Grossman
Latest posts by Amanda L Grossman (see all)
- 14 Powerful Personal Money Management Tips (Get What You Want) - February 21, 2023
- 23 Fun Meals to Make (You’ll Actually Want to Cook!) - February 14, 2023
- 27 Low-Budget Valentine’s Day Ideas (You Won’t Look Cheap!) - February 3, 2023
Suzie Sturge
Tuesday 26th of April 2022
Hi I make a product called the nail buddy this has proven excellent for the lady painting her nails in the comfort of her armchair or wheel chair. How do I get this onto your site. Hope to speak soon.