Latest Weather Blog
Tuesday's Health Report: Gifts to help keep elderly family members healthy
Related Story
BATON ROUGE — It can be tricky coming up with a holiday gift for someone who may not need much. But you can buy a gift that can keep on giving.
"Exercise is very important for older adults, um, to maintain their thinking, their cognition as well as to prevent falls. So, anything that you can do to help your senior exercise more,” Northwestern Medicine’s Chief of Geriatrics Lee Lindquist said.
Lindquist said gifts that can get older adults moving include fitness trackers, light weights and new athletic clothing.
"Most of my seniors, they still are wearing their same khakis and dress pants whenever they're exercising and I always see them. I'm like, we gotta get you hepped up, we gotta get you some new joggers,” Lindquist said.
She added that new gym shoes are also a good idea. She suggests ones that slip on or buy elastic laces that make them easier to get into so they don’t have to bend over to tie their shoes.
New bedding is also a great idea. Sheets and mattress toppers can help seniors sleep better, Lindquist said.
Since being social is a critical part of health, Lindquist says gift cards to restaurants and other places that can help seniors get out of the house are great. But she says part of this gift should also be taking them out to use the present.
Finally, gifting a coupon for a trip to see an audiologist or geriatrician can be helpful. She says it is also important to make an appointment for them.
"It really takes the burden of scheduling the appointment, making the decision because it's a present,” Lindquist said.
News
