Gifts for elderly parents

[AlexaShutUp]

My mum and dad are in their late seventies/early eighties. They're financially comfortable and have everything that they need. I'm really running out of inspiration about what to buy them.

I've previously treated them to afternoon teas, weekends away etc. They don't like travelling as much these days, so don't want to do any weekends away this time. Have also bought tech like Alexa/ipads/fitbits etc. Lots of photo gifts of grandchildren etc. I will also be giving them tickets to attend one of dd's performances.

I wondered about an audible subscription for them, and am still considering this, but I don't think they'd want to share it because they like very different types of book.

Does anyone have any other ideas that I could do for one or both of them?

Many thanks!

I'm sending my in laws a hamper of locally made cheeses, biscuits, chutney and wine. In fact I'm sending my grown up step sons the same. Last year I gave them theatre vouchers.

Hampers are great ideas, particularly if you can personalise them.

A magazine subscription each? National geographic, time magazine etc?

A beautiful coffee table book relevant to their interests or past travels. Or an atlas?

My elderly relatives love receiving clothes. It's harder for them to get out and buy stuff as they get older, so smart, warm sweaters and cardigans, new trousers or slippers or PJs are always welcome. I took my dementia-suffering mum out clothes shopping once, on my dad's behest and she was so exhausted and bewildered by all the choice and the lights and blaring music. Much happier just receiving things chosen for her.

Another idea is a good quality radio. My parents listen to it all day and all night long and would be delighted to have one in each room of the house.

Would your Mum like a subscription for flowers through the letterbox for 3 or 6 months? I think Bloom & Wild do them.

Theatre tickets? Matinees may work better for them.

Nothing wrong with books. Might they like kindles?

Pay for a cleaner if they don't have one?

I was going to say a tablet - my 84 year old mum is getting a new one this year as she uses it a lot - but I see you have said iPads already.
Other things she likes are gardening vouchers, books and book tokens, new pyjamas, dressing gown, bird feeders, cocktail and afternoon tea experience.

Expensive wine, classical music tickets (if that's they're thing!), books/book tokens always go down well.

My MIL also likes naice clothing (usually longline cardigans, cashmere type jumpers from M&S etc).

We bought a fortnightly gardener for PIL one year, was a local charity organisation that employed people with additional needs to do it was not to expensive. My husband wasn't keen on my choice but went down really well as they were struggling to keep on top of it

Sheepskin slippers?

Dressing gowns?

A pile of books each - best present ever!

My mum flat out said she didn’t want ‘stuff’ in the house if we could avoid giving her ‘things’ she’d be grateful.
Around 82 when this happened.
We sponsored restoration projects, woodland trust sponsorship, bought her rspb hedging sponsorship, wicker nests for her garden plus hedgehog house (all used within 1 w months!), took over quite expensive magazine sub for her, took her on bucket list type things - London eye and a few museums she wanted to get to with lunches out etc.
Home made hampers of selected favourite foods and wines always a firm favourite
Also good to do things they may start to find difficult - like booking breaks/taking them on short (!) break. My ma lived a clothes shopping trip - in her own she began to find shopping a bit knackering and difficult. She loved it when I was there to run around helping her and then taking her for lunch and then home.

Pretty bird feeders for the garden so they can watch them and a supply of birdseed

We are getting our elderly parents a yearly Netflix subscription. They don't want 'stuff' any more and they enjoy watching box sets, so it's ideal.

Some fab ideas on this thread!

Bird feeders and subscription from lovatts for a crossword magazine they like.

We're getting ours a garden shredder.

Case of half bottles of wine (Wine Society are good)

A book subscription - there’s one where they interview you and the ‘book therapist’ selects something for you.

If they’re foodie then a chef coming to make them dinner at home would be fab

Magazine subscriptions
Heated throw
Crafting sets ( crochet,knitting)
Hamper
Things that I am getting this year for the elderly parents in our family.

Heated throw is a really good idea. My mother loves hers and uses it lots

I’m thinking about Netflix too but they are technically inept so not sure yet.
Have also done tablets, Kindle, Alexa (huge hit, linked it to my prime account and they can’t believe they can just say ‘Alexa, play Frank Sinatra’)
Last year we did Ancestry DNA plus an ancestry subscription- was a big hit.
DF will get the new Bill Bryson and gin
DM needs a new handbag but is very picky.
Usually do them a family calendar.
Also considering a photo book of all their old family photos as they are currently falling out of old albums but I need to make time to do it.

BestIsWest, it was surprisingly easy to set them up with a free trial and go through the menus with them.

The incentive being that they were desperate to watch The Crown. They are currently binge watching it, and have seen other series on the planner that they want to watch too. So we thought it might be a good idea to pay for a subscription for the year.

It is The Crown that I was thinking of, FullersEarth, they would love it.

Lovely knitwear
Tickets to show or event
Personalised hamper (I put one together for my mum every year)

I'm getting my parents new phones (landline ones). Boring but I can do the research more easily than they can