Three Cool Techie Gifts for Mother's Day for Moms in Assisted Living
What do you get your mom for Mother's Day when she's moved to assisted living? Flowers are fine, but what if you just don't want to send a bouquet (or what if your mom's allergies make flowers impractical)? Picking out the right gift isn't easy, especially because space is limited and practicality is key. Hi-tech gadgets can solve the problem, even if your mom isn't particularly technologically oriented. Consider these suggestions.
1.) An MP3 Player (Preloaded, of Course).
Growing older doesn't mean that you stop liking music—in fact, music has been shown to increase brain activity and enhance memory, so aside from just giving your Mom a cool gift, giving her an MP3 player can actually help preserve her mental functioning.
If you know Mom's favorite music, you can pre-load it as a surprise. If not, spend some time getting a list of artists and songs from her, and add them to the MP3 player before you give it to her. Then when her birthday rolls around, you can add more songs as an additional gift.
2.) An E-Reader (Already Set Up)
Reading can help improve memory and increase critical thinking skills, so it's another activity that can help slow down the impact of aging on the brain. However, traditional books, even paperbacks, take up a lot of space to own. You can borrow from the library, but it isn't always easy to get the books that you want, and it means carting books back and forth—something your mom might not be able to do very easily.
E-readers put the power of the page right in your mom's hands and they don't take up much space. Plus, many of them can be connected directly to online sources that lend free e-books, through lending libraries. There are inexpensive monthly book subscription services as well. Just make sure you set Mom's account up for her online so that she can easily download her choices.
3.) Wireless Headphones
The problem with having your own TV in many assisted living facilities is that everyone else has their own TV too—and often they get turned up too loud, making it hard for anyone to hear their own over everyone else's in the background.
Get Mom her own set of wireless digital headphones. They come in a variety of colors and styles, so you can pick a design that you think your mom will like - but best of all, you can buy noise-cancelling models that will keep her favorite shows being drowned out by her roommate's favorite shows.
Whatever else you decide to do for your mom for Mother's Day, the gift she'll appreciate the most is the time that you take to look for something unique and specific for her needs. Keep in mind that assisted living facilities are about quality of life and technology can often enhance that quality for people of all ages. For more gift ideas, try talking to an assisted living professional like Cokato Charitable Trust - Cokato Manor.