Stuck for an idea for your elderly Dad this Father’s Day ?
Elderly Dads are especially hard to buy for. Mums are always easier as a nice bouquet of flowers or chocolates are usually appreciated.
As Dad has got older his needs have possibly changed. He may get out and about less and had to give up on some of his more active hobbies. Here are a few ideas for useful gifts for him that you may not have thought of. After all, even though men of 90 still use lynx wouldn’t it be nice to have a change from that and chocolates or wine and beer?
Does Dad still manage to ride a bike?
If so, how safe does he feel on it and how happy do you feel that he is doing so still? I heard a story the other day, someone’s Dad had to give up his car following a heart attack and went back to his bike. He fell off that and broke his leg !!
Did you know you can buy what are in effect adult stabilisers which simply attach to a standard bike and offer a far, far greater level of stability and safety. Ez trainers are a brilliant solution to giving up the bike or buying a tricycle which many men may not feel happy riding. The longer Dad can stay active and exercising the better, keeping that mobility scooter at bay for as long as possible.
Here is a video showing Ez trainer in action.
I have managed to negotiate a special Fathers Day price of £139.99 which includes a discount of £20 if you would like to keep Dad active for longer.
Other Ideas.
Whilst Dad is out and about on his bike keep him even safer with a personal sat nav monitor.
Find him anywhere ! Ideal for someone at risk of falling or living with a life threatening condition. This is an expensive gift but if several family members contributed it becomes more affordable. GPS trackers are available free of charge to anyone in the UK with or waiting for a diagnosis of dementia. For more details contact Ostrich Care.
Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer ensure Dad is alerted to any dangers and give them a carbon monoxide alarm
A hot water bottle, many elderly people have them and never check to see that the seal is in good order. Consider buying them a lovely new hot water bottle or a wheat filled one but ensure Dad follows the heating instructions as over heating has led to fires.
If they don’t receive their medication in blister packs consider an easy to use Pill Dispenser
Socks, socks and more socks !!! But not all socks are the same. I cannot praise highly enough the socks from CosyFeet. Not cheap but definitely the best socks for swollen feet and ankles.
A Hamper of tasty treats is always welcome. You can always make one up yourself with items you know Dad loves.
Leading on from tins, do they have an easy to use can opener ? Arthritis and weakened hands can make using a standard one difficult.
This remote control turns on electrical devices in a room and is a huge help for your Dad if he has limited mobility.
Does your Dad have impaired sight ? I love the RNIB glowmats, they are the size of a coaster and glow in the dark, they charge using natural or artificial light and are useful for keeping useful items such as house keys and hearing aids on.
I also like the RNIB sticky dots which will help any Dad with sight loss know washing machine programme to use, where to turn the microwave dial to and allows them to align a plug with the socket. Once again very cheap but very useful.
I love the Flexy foot ferrule walking stick device. It provided increased safety and stability to anyone using a walking stick. Flexyfoot have also now have their very own stylish walking stick incorporating the ferrule.
High visibility vests save lives! Make sure that if your Dad uses a mobility scooter, he puts one on the back of the seat.
is is a must have item for your Dad if he receives nuisance phone calls and you are worried he may fall prey to spammers and tricksters. True Call blocks nuisance phone calls protecting the elderly and those living with dementia from malicious phone scams and may just protect their life savings. I would recommend you take a few minutes to watch the video on their website detailing how it works.
Hearing Direct are offering 10% off all readers first orders. Time to buy those amplified headphones and loud alarm clocks if Dads hearing is lacking. Simply quote CC10.
Some of these gifts cost less than £10 yet will allow your Dad to have a safer and easier time at home. Don’t forget he will still want to look good and smell lovely, so toiletries and aftershave are always useful.
I have free room thermometers to send out on behalf of Age UK. These cards clearly show if a room is too hot or too cold. Please contact me if you would like one using the form at the top right hand corner of this page. Please remember to leave me the name and address that you would like it sent to.
E-Readers
are becoming increasingly popular with older readers as they can vary the size of the text and down load books at home and not have to go to the library.
Happy Fathers Day.
