Give the Gift of a Healthy Active Lifestyle
Gift-giving is a major part of the holiday season. Sometimes it’s difficult to find that perfect gift for your loved one, especially if they’ve had a lifetime to collect knickknacks and bric-a-brac. But no matter how old your intended recipient is, items that promote health and well-being are always appreciated. Exercise and staying healthy are important in anyone’s life, especially a senior. Here are a few suggestions for a holiday season of health.
Practical Gifts to Keep Your Loved Ones Healthy
If you’re worried about being too direct when it comes to encouraging a healthy lifestyle, you could try to give the gift of functional items. Where they may appreciate receiving a gift card to an organic supermarket, it seems a lot less personal. EcardForest is a great way for the whole family to sign a card that would be a lot more personal and can include many messages.
When planning your gifts, think about things he or she likes or activities they used to enjoy before age found them a little less nimble than before.
Check out these gift ideas…
A GPS tracker watch is a great idea for those who don’t mind ‘being followed.’ It’s small, so it’s beneficial if they don’t have a great deal of wrist real estate.
Many models come complete with activity and fitness tracking and offer encouraging messages and extra motivation. And for the fashion-forward senior, GPS watches are offered in a variety of colors and styles across all price points.
Since degenerative brain disorders become more common after a certain age, having a way to keep up with your loved one will set your mind at ease. You can read more on ways to keep your own brain healthy here.
Meal Delivery
Seniors often have to decide between healthy food and vital medications. This is an unfortunate predicament, but one you can circumvent this holiday season.
There are a number of meal delivery services that offer custom menus with perfectly portioned breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.
These services make meal planning easy with options ranging from a single box to 12 meals or more per week.
Fitness Equipment
Exercise equipment is an option for mobile older adults. While they may not be into heavy weight-lifting, a treadmill or elliptical machine is a possibility.
Keep in mind their ability to climb up and down and balance; pick a machine that won’t increase their risk of falling.
A large piece of equipment is not only an investment of money but also space, so make sure they have room and actually want the device. If going on walks or working out wasn’t something they enjoyed in the past, there’s a good chance it’ll just turn into a coat rack.
When $500 for a treadmill isn’t in your budget, you might look into resistance bands, which are lightweight, portable, and fun.
Dog
If you want to encourage more movement and exercise, consider a dog. It may seem a little complicated at first, but dogs really do make you healthier.
Better mood, companionship, motivation to get up and get outside, and socialization with others are just a few of the benefits of canine companionship. Pets have even been found to reduce blood pressure, according to the CDC.
Getting older affects everyone differently. Some people face it head-on and it doesn’t bother them. But it can bring you down, too. Bringing something into the home that helps promote happiness and activity is an amazing gift.
A dog can offer all of these things. We’re not talking about puppies here—they are a lot of work and the training alone can be a stress trigger.
Think about adopting an older dog. It doesn’t have to be a senior, just one that is already trained and housebroken. Look for a dog that is gentle, good on a leash, and comfortable simply hanging out at home.
A high-energy breed is probably not the best choice for someone in the 65+ crowd.
Finding the right activity level in a dog is crucial; if he’s too energetic, his presence may actually be a safety hazard and increase the risk of falls. Another positive benefit of adopting an older dog is that it’s harder to find homes for them. Most people want puppies, meaning elderly pets wind up living out the rest of their very short lives in captivity.
You would be benefiting the senior and giving the dog the gift of a future.
Wrap-Up
Whatever you decide to get for your senior, just be sure it makes sense for them. Gifts are a way of showing we care about those closest to us. Giving something that can improve the life of someone you love is practical and personal.
Each of the above gifts will show you are concerned about your health and invested in your happiness today, tomorrow, and forever.
- Healthy Gifts Ideas for Seniors - December 13, 2017
