While they’re not great with technology, that doesn’t mean that their house can’t be. Help boomers embrace a safe function with a Ring or other video doorbell. For one, it will help them see who’s on the other side of the door and who’s been lurking around the house.
For another, it makes them feel like they’re on the cutting edge of technology, and its pretty cheap to buy and install. In fact, you can probably install their doorbell moments after they open it.
Get the parents in your life a bedside phone stand to replace that tired, old clock. You can help them set alarms in their phones and, more importantly, get more of that limited nightstand space back.
There are plenty of apps to mock the info they get from their clocks that include outside temps, dimmable screens, and customizable sounds to wake. They’ll have more room for their books and interests besides a 6” by 4” clock.
As a huge proponent of the library and real books, it's important to understand that with aging comes limited mobility. Naturally, that also changes your access to books. An eReader or integrated app on their iPad will allow them to still enjoy the comfort of checking out books from their favorite chair
eReaders allow a person to customize the size of the text or enable other functions like page color, voice technology, or even use it to replace costly print magazines. If they know how to use their phone, they probably can use an eReader with ease
At this point, I hope your parents have switched luggage to something that rolls inline instead of the old Samsonite four-roller that tumped over sideways. Consider getting them something ultralight like an ABS shell, four-wheel bright color luggage.
It's easier for them to handle in the airport, protects their clothes and purchases better, and, more importantly, easily identifies it on the luggage carousel.
This may be hard for your parents to swallow, but they’ll appreciate the versatility of tools that use the same charging mechanisms and interchangeable batteries. It’s a great gift for a large family to split up and gift different tools like drills, cordless vacuums, and sanders.
Just make sure they’re all in the same family and use the same battery. Ryobi and Milwaukee Tools are fantastic at making one-charger systems.
As we move into a more digital world, boomers still love their pictures. Honest, who doesn't? Most people just don't get them printed out anymore. Help keep them up to date on your life and fun with a digital photo frame that you can seamlessly add pictures to as you get them.
The digital frames can be set for time, motion, and schedule — making sure that they see the grandkids and all their adventures.
This year, puffer jackets are all the rage, and it’s easy to see why. They’re stylish, warm, and, most of all, lightweight. Unlike older woolen jackets, puffers can be compressed into a small bag, making them the perfect travel accessory for new luggage.
And unlike raingear, puffers won’t leave you feeling damp and cold if you get caught in a shower. So it may be time to get rid of that old, worn wool coat and grab your boomer a nice, new puffer in their favorite color.
As we get older, we misplace things all the time. A wallet here, the keys there. It can be tough to find them, and honestly? It's one of the most frustrating things of the day. Instead of letting anyone stress, give your boomers the gift of tiles so they can find their things without turning the house upside down.
You’ll save their sanity, their frustration, and likely the dog, as they’ll easily find their lost things without terrorizing the pets. T
You know that knife block that has been sitting on the counter since before you were born? Unless they’re Henckels or Wusthof, get rid of the block and invest in a new set that's fresh, new, and already sharpened.
You can easily get some color-coded knives that come with a sharper like the Cuisinart 12 piece. Your parents will love the extra counter space, and you’ll love that they can retrieve them from the drawer safely, as they all have sheaths.
Help your mom and dad out with a great, well-made apron this year from Hedley & Bennett. They’re super stylish, comfortable, and sturdy to take on everything from the grill to the oven to the frying and gardening.
They come in every conceivable color, and your parents have likely admired one on their favorite cooking shows or even the gardening channel.
For the outdoorsy parents, a set of hiking poles is a must. They’re great for stability and balance on the narrowest trails and great for someone who’s got declining balance but doesn’t want to look old.
Consider upgrading their gloves, hats, and even headlamps with something that’s ultra-lightweight and much more comfortable. They’ll appreciate the gifts as well as the tech that goes into them.
Who doesn't love a personalized gift? Something that shows you've put thought into it and that you really know the person you're giving it to. But gone are the days of having to pay a premium for a one-of-a-kind present. Nowadays, you can put your kids' faces on practically anything.
From socks and ties to blankets and coffee mugs, there's no limit to what you can do. And the best part is that it's relatively inexpensive. So go ahead and put your kids' faces on everything. Your parents will be so proud to show off their grandkids in style. And who knows, maybe they'll even get a few compliments on their fashion sense.
This is great for dads, grandpas, you, moms, grandmothers, and your almost-adult kids. Quite literally, there isn’t anyone in the entire world that wouldn’t benefit from a universal socket tool — because sockets, wrenches, and anything from the multi-measurement universe is ridiculous.
You can’t keep up with them, and worse, manufacturers keep coming up with scale measurements that make absolutely no sense. Take back your time and your life with a gift that will remain useful for decades to come.
That’s right — a phone app. Let's be honest, nothing delights your parents more than knowing where you are at all times. Inviting them into your circle and upgrading to gold gives them ‘an eye’ on where you and your kids are.
It also helps you know where your parents are as well. Just make sure to selectively name locations so that they’re not up all night long, worrying about how you’re getting home from the neighborhood bar.
This seems like a ‘do what?’ category but stay with me a moment. Purchase a large, durable container and some monthly dividers. Then fill it up with generic birthday cards pre-addressed and stamped for the recipients.
That way, your parents can go to the month and retrieve the cards, write in them and then mail them. They'll also know that they’ll be safely delivered to the correct address in the right month.
Instead of letting them stew and fret about how to use their technology, give them lessons instead. Best Buy has the Geek Squad that allows you to purchase time for them to teach people how to use technology.
You can also give gift certificates from your kids to do it as well — teaching grandparents how to facetime, texting the right way, phone settings, and the do’s/don’ts of online shopping/browsing. It creates much-needed time between generations, and I promise they won’t get mad at the grandkids as they do with you.
These used to be a zillion dollars a while ago, and now, they’re practical for everyone, especially grandparents. They can use their phones or the cute little remotes that come with them to seamlessly vacuum up the house in place of all the sweeping and vacuuming that boomers do.
They’re so convenient that boomers (and their backs) will thank you. If they have carpet, it also won't hurt to hire a cleaning service to swing by to clean every few months or so too (to grab whatever the vacuum left behind).
Now, these can get expensive, but you don’t have to go all out Apple watch or Garmin unless you want. Smart wearables are great grandparent gifts. They can ‘remind’ our grandparents to get up and move every hour as well as monitor vitals like pulse ox, steps, and blood pressure.
The best part about this is you can download the app, access the device, and it'll alert you any time something is awry with your parents' health.
It could be the local senior center, a museum, community theatre tickets, or minor league sports! Whatever your parents or loved ones like to do. Either way, it'll help your boomers get out there and enjoy life in whatever capacity they’re passionate about.
It might even be a gift for yourself, too. They’ll likely want to drag a grandkid or two with them, freeing you up for a date night or just a night to soak in the tub in peace.
The boomers in your life don’t need any more stuff. They may be wanting to pare down or, even better, not exchange ‘gifts’ at all. The one gift that helps the most is gifting to their favorite charities in their honor.
Kids love to gift these and love picking out the gifts like animals, food, educational supplies, or other lifesaving gifts from all over the world. Organizations like Heifer.org and FeedingAmerica.org are two great examples of charities doing amazing work abroad and domestically.
