12 Days of Christmas
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
The holidays bring peace and joy among family and friends, but they also bring that unwanted stress of finding the perfect gift for your loved one.
What do you get for the senior in your life who already has everything? If you haven’t a clue…you’re not the only one! Right at Home London is here to help make the gift of giving a little easier and more enjoyable for you this holiday. We will be offering a new gift idea each day for 12 days! Stay tuned for our first “12 Days of Christmas” post on December 1st.
1. Subscription to ZOOMER Magazine
ZOOMER is an award-winning magazine for both men and women ages 45 years young and over. ZOOMER offers its readers a little bit of everything! Subscribers enjoy articles, advice, and tips on health, finance, travel, relationships, lifestyle, arts and entertainment, spirituality, and more! Visit EverythingZoomer.com to learn more about the monthly publication and get your loved one their subscription!
2. Gift of Family & Memories
Gathering photographs and compiling them in a beautiful scrapbook or album not only makes for a wonderful gift, but it's also a fun project to work on! Reminiscing on precious moments with your loved one will fill your hearts with joy. Be sure to include dates and a brief caption or message with each photo. This will help your loved one remember special events that have occurred over the years.
3. Gift of Security
Are you worried about the safety of an aging family member or friend? Give your loved one the gift of security this holiday, and give yourself peace of mind. With ConnectCare, you can rest assured that your loved one will be taken care of should something go wrong. The medical alert system is easy for seniors to use in emergency situations. At any time of day or night, your loved one can call for help with the push of a button. A representative at the Response Centre will act quickly to get your loved one the help they need, whether it be emergency sevices or the assistance of a family member, friend, or neighbour. To learn more about ConnectCare and its products, visit St. Joseph's Health Care London. You can also watch some short videos on YouTube.
4. Gift of Warmth
Keep your loved one cozy and comforted this winter with a gift that warms the body and the heart. A beautiful quilted, woven, or fleece photo collage blanket, made by you, is a personalized gift that your loved one will treasure forever. Custom photo blankets are easy to create with the help of stores like Walmart.
5. Gift of Communication
Does your aging loved one have trouble reading, hearing or handling the typical cell phone, or avoid using a cell phone altogether? Doro Canada’s cell phones are easy enough for anyone to use…even seniors! The Doro PhoneEasy 520X or 620 makes the best gift for a senior who wants to stay connected. Doro cell phones offer durability, loud and clear sound, easy to read display screens, and easy to operate keypads. Doro phones also make it simple to take and share photos. The built-in security features, such as the alarm button located in the back of the phone, which is to be used in an emergency, provide yet another reason why Doro phones are perfect for seniors! Visit Doro Canada’s website to learn more about the products and features.
6. Gift of Health & Fitness
As your loved one ages, it is important for them to remain physically active. If you want to help your loved one improve their health and well-being this holiday (and in the New Year, and the year after that, and the one after that…) get them into a fitness routine!
1) The Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging (CCAA) offers a wide variety of exercise programs, which are enjoyed by over 500 London seniors each week. With the help of certified Seniors Fitness Instructors, older adults improve their physical activity and well-being through fitness classes, personal training, strength training, dynamic balance training, lifestyle coaching and the Get Fit for Active Living (exercise and education for beginner senior exercisers). If you’re interested in registering your loved one for a CCAA membership or learning more about the exercise programs available, visit the CCAA website.
2) I Am Who I Am Personal Training Studio is a small gym located in Wortley Village, the Old South of London, which takes “a gentler, yet vigorous, approach” to senior fitness. In the December edition of Business London magazine, owner Heykel Kader noted that “70% of [his] workout buddies are baby boomers.” The studio offers customized training programs, one on one training, nutritional counselling, wellness facilitation and personal coaching. For more information visit iamwhoiam.ca or call 226-663-5433.
3) Simple pieces of fitness equipment can make a great addition to a membership. Visit Flaman Fitness and check out their selection of equipment and accessories, including the Progression Fitness Adjustable Hand Grip, the Progression Fitness Resistance Cable Exchange Handle, Progression Exercise Balls, Progression Wrist & Ankle Weights, and the Ultimate Aerobic Step.
7. Gift of Lessons
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” ~ Henry Ford
Music
Music helps to improve one’s health, mood, and well-being, which is why music lessons could be the perfect gift for a senior in your life. Just think of the happiness, pride, and fulfillment your loved one will experience as they learn to make music. London’s Plumb Music offers lessons for students ages 5 to 85! Plumb Music’s Recreational Piano music program for adults is geared toward seniors. No talent or previous experience is required, and there is no need to worry about exams or recitals because there aren’t any! The lessons are simply for fun! For more information, call 519-858-2805 or email [email protected].
Art
If your aging loved one enjoys being creative, then register them in an art class at The ARTS Project in London. The ARTS Project offers a variety of classes taught by local art instructors, including drawing, oil painting, and sculpting. Many seniors enjoy participating in the different courses. Lessons at The ARTS Project are not limited to age, but ability to use the stairs is required, as many of the classes are located on the third floor. Call 519-642-2767 for more information.
Technology
The Lions Senior Centre, located in Dorchester, offers beginner and intermediate computer lessons to those who wish for instruction on the general use of the computer, internet, and email. If your not so tech-savvy family member or friend recently became the owner of a new iPad or Tablet, the Lions Senior Centre has classes for these devices, too! If your loved one needs some guidance when it comes to using their camera, they would benefit from taking digital camera lessons, during which they will learn how to operate their camera, download pictures, crop photos, etc. To learn more about the 5-week sessions, call 519-268-2025.
8. Spa Day
As your loved one ages, it becomes more difficult for her to venture out into the city, and getting pampered isn’t really at the top of her list of things to do. But your wife, mother, sister, or grandmother deserves to feel fresh, beautiful, and rejuvenated! Right at Home will bring the spa to the special woman in your life, who deserves to be treated this holiday. Schedule a two hour spa session for your loved one, and she will receive a warm bath, relaxing massage and foot care. Additionally, your loved one will enjoy a manicure, pedicure, and great conversation. To purchase a gift certificate or schedule an appointment, please call 226-212-0001 or send us an email.
9. Gift of Mobility
Getting around isn’t as easy for your senior loved one as it used to be. This Christmas, you can help change that. Improve your loved one’s life with the gift of mobility. Give them the freedom and independence they want and deserve.
MeleKare
If your loved one is lacking balance and stability when walking, it’s time to get them the extra support they need. MeleKare offers a variety of mobility products, but for those in need of simple reinforcement, the Aluminum Cane and Adjustable Quad Cane are the perfect solutions. For more information all 519-518-6353 or email [email protected].
DURA MED Mobility Products
DURA MED Mobility Products provides new, used, and rental equipment (as well as repairs). DURA MED also offers free delivery and free in-home assessments. If your loved one needs more support than a cane provides, DURA MED has an aluminum folding walker, as well as Nexus Rollators (walkers with wheels) to assist them in getting around. For those who have trouble walking, or can no longer walk, due to age or illness, DURA MED offers various manual and power wheelchairs. Check out DURA MED’s video to learn more about its products and services. You can also call 519-686-3888 or email [email protected].
Custom Mobility
If your grandpa’s a speed demon or your mom loves the feel of the wind in her hair, then an electric scooter from Custom Mobility would make an amazing gift! The scooter gives your “wild at heart” loved one the ability to get from place to place easily, quickly, and safely. For more information on the mobility scooter and other products, call 519-264-3316 or email [email protected].
In-Trend Home Solutions
For senior family members who struggle with moving around in their own home, In-Trend Home Solutions offers…the solution! Simple modifications will make your loved one’s home more accessible for them, which will give them back their independence and improve their quality of life. Whether you’re looking to make changes in the bathroom, kitchen or hallways, In-Trend Home Solutions can make your loved one’s home a more safe and comfortable place to live. Check out In-Trend Home Solution’s video for more information. You can also call 519-601-1119 or email [email protected].
10. Gift of Membership
True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united. ~ Wilhelm von Humboldt
If your loved one is 55 years young or better and enjoys socializing with great people while taking part in fun events and activities, then this Christmas you should make them a member of the Boys and Girls Club of London – Horton Street Seniors’ Centre! The community centre offers fitness classes, including tai chi, aquatic programs and yoga. Recreational games of badminton, shuffleboard and carpetball will keep your loved one on their toes, while less strenuous games of bridge and euchre are enjoyed by those who wish for a little friendly competition without working up a sweat. For those who like to create masterpieces, they can partake in crafts such as quilting and wood carving. In addition to the many wonderful activities, Horton Street Seniors’ Center offers day trips and luncheons. By getting your loved one a membership, you can be sure the fun they experience over the holly jolly holidays continues well into the New Year! For more information, call 519-434-9114 or email [email protected].
11. Gift of Nutrition
When the holidays have come to an end, and the yummy food (and leftovers) has all been consumed, you still want your loved one to get the nutrition they need and deserve. Meals on Wheels London offers hot, chilled and frozen meals to seniors in the community, and the nutritious, delicious meals will get delivered right to your loved one’s door! This Christmas, register your loved one for a Meals on Wheels meal program. For more information call 519-660-1430 or email [email protected].
12. The Gift of Care
If you’re a full-time caregiver to a family member or friend, or you’ve been responsible for helping a parent or loved one as they age, receiving in-home care is as much a gift to you as it is to them. Right at Home London provides quality medical and non-medical support services to those in need. We are committed to caring for your family the way we care for our own.
If Mom would appreciate some extra help around the house and enjoy spending time with a friendly, familiar face, one of our companion caregivers would be the perfect match! If Dad requires physical support and personal care, then a certified PSW from our Right at Home team would be happy to assist with Dad’s day-to-day routine and improve his quality of life. Right at Home also offers skilled nursing, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, and the new RightCare365 program. Give your loved one the gift of happiness, security, and independence this holiday. Give yourself peace of mind knowing that the right people are helping your loved one the right way…Right at Home. For more information give us a call at 226-212-0001 or email our Care Coordinator, Lindsay!
We hope these gift ideas have helped you choose the perfect gift for your senior loved one! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and good health and happiness in the Happy New Year!
