It is often so difficult to find a suitable gift for a friend or relation who is very advanced in years. They usually have everything already and are downsizing rather than wanting to accumulate more things. They may be in a care home situation where space is limited and much is provided for them.
So I thought I would start a thread where we can showcase any ideas we have from our shops that might then help someone who is wanting such a gift but struggling to think of an idea.
I’ll kick off with this pair of patchwork bags. They could be given just as they are, or you could pop some tea bags and a small pack of biscuits inside, or some sweets, or toiletries. When the contents is used, they will still have the bags to use for whatever will be useful. Be it to keep their hearing aid and spare batteries tidy. Or pens and pencils, or toiletries, or keys, or handkerchiefs, etc etc. Or one of @LooneySpoons spoons! (see next post!)
I have a whole collection of ‘growing old disgracefully’ spoons - hoping they will bring a smile to an older person’s face! Some of them are quite rude. This one isn’t though:
Crochet flowers are ideal for the older person, easy to look after, don’t need watering. My mum has several of mine as she finds real flowers difficult to manage now
If you are running a Folksy shop, you are definitely not in the situation described!!
Nothing to do with what specific number someone’s age is, more to do with their situation in life brought on by advancing years which can happen over a range of ages - if “elderly” was the wrong word, suggestions of alternatives welcome.
Actually my initial train of thought was inspired by the wonderful WW2 veterans at the VE day events, that led me to think of my Dad who would have been of the same age, who died aged 94, and then on to remember his last few years in a Care home. This was still in my mind when I was next on Folksy and looking at gifts for different categories of people, which led on to thinking how hard it is to buy gifts for folk in that situation, and then on to opening a thread where makers could showcase any items that might make it easier for someone seeking to buy something.
Google says
" In general, the term “elderly” is often used to describe individuals aged 65 and older. While 65 has traditionally been the marker for older age, particularly in the UK, factors like increased life expectancy and working beyond retirement age are leading some to consider 70 as a more accurate representation of the start of old age."
PS A rather worrying idea that nobody can believe anything they read on the internet given we all have shops there
My customers Can believe every word they read about my glass
It seems like I’m now officially elderly, I had to fill in a survey for something and the age selection stopped at 65 and over . I don’t feel elderly but my hips don’t lie .
These exploding boxes are very popular with more ‘mature’ people and I’ve made a few of them for 80 birthdays with the 80 popping up in the middle.
I decided quite a long time before getting “elderly” that I had better slow down in my acquisition of “stuff”. Like all crafters I have so much stuff, not enough space and probably not enough life left to use it all, plus no one to take care of it all if I go to the great gift shop in the sky. So these days I like gifts of consumables, luxury foods, toiletries, flowers, stationery. Things that are still delightful to receive, and they I might not buy for myself because I’m generally frugal, but they won’t hang around for the estate sale
My eldest sister is 86. I see her when i can, not often enough so i take gifts when i do. What do i gift an 86 year old ‘elderly’ sister ?
. Two cuttings from my garden.
. A pair of dichroic earrings made by me
Because though she is 86, and obviously now very old she can still plant flowers in her garden and attach earrings into her ears.
. I don’t feel elderly but my hips don’t lie 
.
