Good evening. Tonight we’re answering your questions about the best gifts for older adults. Plus:
It’s been a full year since we first launched this newsletter — 52 weeks of (hopefully!) surprising and delighting you with gifts galore. And a full year since we “opened the lines,” so to speak, to help solve your biggest gifting conundrums. Over 2,000 of you have written to us seeking advice — and our experts have handpicked hundreds of gifts for your nearest and dearest. We’ve recommend everything from the best face masks for a skin care-loving dad; to what will make a middle school-bound younger sister feel cool; to what one reader should gift themselves, after their home burned in a California wildfire. But far and away one of the most common questions we receive is some variation of this: What can I give to an aging loved one? You want to know how to make them feel seen and celebrated — even when they may need less, not more, things for their downsized home, or have mobility issues, or are unable to jump into their once-favorite hobbies with the same vigor. As we head into the holiday season, we tapped our gifts experts to answer a few of your questions around gifts for older loved ones. We hope these help. And please, keep the questions coming.
We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more ›
My grandma is 94 and lives in a studio apartment. Her eyesight is failing, so the puzzles, books, and photo gifts of the past don’t work anymore. She was once an avid gardener and reader, and enjoys thrift stores and tea parties. — E.D. From gifting expert Mari Uyehara: The teas from Bellocq in Brooklyn come in beautiful canisters that might brighten her day even when she’s not brewing. Or if she’s British-inclined, you could get her those from Fortnum & Mason, the choice at many afternoon teahouses. Pair the teas with these pineapple linzer cookies and throw a tea party for the two of you together? My 82-year-old mom was recently paralyzed from the waist down. She’s always loved to laugh — ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ made her howl — though it’s getting harder. Not to brag, but I can still make her laugh. I just wish I could do it every day. I’m hoping to find something that makes her laugh between visits. — A.G. From gifting expert Hannah Morrill: Does your mom have a subscription to BritBox? I’ve heard good things about Ludwig, Death in Paradise, and Would I Lie to You?, all streaming on the British television service. This Shakespearean Insults Page-a-Day Calendar also comes to mind, which is bawdy in just the right way. My mom! She’s blind, but also has little feeling in her hands, so she can’t use her fingers to read Braille. She has a seeing-eye dog and loves to walk. She also likes to listen to books, podcasts, and NPR. — C.C. From gifting expert Samantha Schoech: I’d suggest a good pair of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds — along with a credit bundle at Libro.fm for audiobooks and/or Spotify — so she can listen to music, podcasts, and news while she walks the dog. And speaking of the dog, would your mom and her canine companion enjoy a new grooming tool? Or does the pooch deserve a comfy new bed? An elderly family member in the early stages of Alzheimer’s who enjoys video games, but now has trouble understanding them. They also enjoy nature and bird watching. — P.H. From gifting expert Hannah Morrill: Oh, you’ll have to get them a smart bird feeder or trail camera — you could set it up for them — to watch daily videos of avian or forest friends. Wirecutter’s video game experts suggest Breath of the Wild and A Short Hike, which both involve leisurely meanders around soothing natural environments and open-ended activities like fishing, observing sylvan creatures, or apple-picking. Or Abzu, an intuitive underwater exploration, is likewise low-key and meditative. My spry, nearly 100-year-old mom just moved into independent living. This avid gardener misses her birds, chipmunks, and flowering shrubs. — J.F.K. From gifting expert Samantha Schoech: To bring a little of her beloved backyard wildlife into her new space, try the Jarkyfine Window Bird Feeder. It suctions to the outside of the window so she can watch birds up close and personal. Or consider a subscription for a regular delivery of cut flowers, or a gorgeous, long-lasting (but expensive) handmade paper bouquet? And this modern-looking cuckoo clock plays a realistic bird song from a different species every hour and will make her home sound like she’s sitting in a forest in spring.
One last gift (for you): This layer-friendly cardigan is made of delicate and airy cashmere that feels whisper-soft against the skin. And it’s more than $100 off today. Was this email kindly forwarded to you? Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
