Valentine’s Day is on its way, with all of its chocolate and glitter glory. No matter how you may feel about the holiday, it is certainly a day to take time to celebrate those we love. If you have a special senior on your love list this year, check out a few of our unique and useful Valentine’s Day gifts for seniors. We tried to incorporate a variety of ideas so that you can find a perfect fit for the senior you love.
1. Chocolate-Covered Fruit
You can’t have Valentine’s Day without a bit of chocolate, and adding in fruit is a refreshing gift that anyone will enjoy. Chocolate-covered strawberries, or other fruit, are easy to ship, which means your aging loved one will still be able to get a thoughtful gift from you, no matter your distance apart. You can order excellent packages through companies like Shari’s Berries. Even better, if you live nearby, consider bringing along the supplies to prepare your own berries together on your Valentine’s visit; time together makes the dessert even sweeter for your loved one and for you.
2. A Wedding-Album Reboot
If your loved one was fortunate enough to have had a happy marriage, consider choosing some favorite photos of the wedding and years together and adding them to a photo book. You can easily upload scanned photos to services like Shutterfly and add captions or stories near each treasured photo. These updated wedding and family albums should be short and sweet; they are especially excellent for seniors with memory loss, because the album can serve as a reminiscence tool for caregivers to use to spark conversation and memories.
3. Flowers
Valentine’s Day is a day for flowers, and this classic gift is never underappreciated from the receiver. Consider sending a bouquet of festive flowers or of favorites. You can also make a twist on this tradition by instead sending a fresh, Valentine’s Day–inspired wreath at the beginning of the month that can be hung on your loved one’s door and enjoyed for the whole month. You can also consider attending a flower-arranging class together if you are local enough to make the trip during the month. Many florists, senior centers, or even park districts offer flower-arranging classes for participants to learn the craft and take home their beautiful creations.
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4. A Glimpse of Spring
Depending on where your loved one lives, Valentine’s Day can fall right in the middle of a very long winter. Shake off some of the cold-weather cabin fever by sending a gift that will give your loved one a glimpse of warmer weather. Citrus trees, such as Meyer lemon trees, can live indoors or out, making them a perfect gift for any climate. They take just a bit of care, and your loved one will love watching them bear fruit year after year. If you think that a tree is a bit overboard, instead consider a lovely herb garden. You can order the garden to be delivered or you can make one together the next time you visit. Succulent arrangements are also easy to care for while still giving a much welcomed splash of green.
5. Time Together
Even better than material gifts, your senior loved one would love an extra special outing with you. If possible, plan a special afternoon together by choosing an activity that you’ve been wanting to try. See a movie or live theater show, check out the local garden show or botanical garden, eat at your favorite restaurant, or take a drive around the old neighborhood—no matter what you choose, this break from the ordinary will be a Valentine’s Day gift for the both of you.Happy Valentine’s Day—go make your aging loved one feel extra special today!
