What are some good gift ideas for older people? And what can you give someone who has everything?  Those are questions that are top of mind for many of us during the winter holiday season. And they recur for other gift-giving occasions throughout the year.

Choosing gifts for any adult can be difficult. But it can be particularly tricky to come up with gifts for people who  are in the second half of their lives. But you can find gifts they’ll love if you consider the individual’s lifestyle, interests, health, and level of activity.

While there are any number of potential gifts for adults, the best gifts are those that take into consideration the individual’s interests, health, and lifestyle. Gifts that are useful, solve problems, make doing things easier, provide comfort, or replace items that are in disrepair can also be good ideas. 

Here are 19 ideas for gifts for older people and people who seem to have everything they need. Some of the items in the list below are there because they’re things people have given me as gifts and I like them a lot. (At 80, I’ve qualified as “old” for quite a few years.) Some are things I’ve bought for myself. Scroll through. Even if there’s nothing that’s perfect for the person you have in mind, the list may spur your imagination.

Note: This page contains affiliate links from which we may make a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on a link.  Learn more.

FlexBrew Coffee Maker

This Hamilton Beach coffee maker is my favorite kitchen appliance. It lets me make a full pot of coffee in the morning or when we have guests. And it lets me make a single cup whenever I want a pickup during the day. The single-serve side takes standard K-cups, or you can use ground coffee. It’s a great gift for any coffee drinker.

The Gift of Tea

Got a tea drinker on your list? Whether they’re a senior or someone who has everything they need, you can warm their hearts and delight their palettes with a collection of gourmet teas.  

There are many varieties to consider.  You can find gift sets with teas from around the world, wellness teas, and even teas for cat lovers. If your tea-drinking friend or family member avoids caffeine, look for decalf and herbal teas.

Digital Picture Frame

Instantly transfer photos from your smart phone over Wi-Fi to this attractive, 10.1 inch digital picture frame.   The photos will show up bigger and easier to see than on a smart phone. This digital picture frame from Aura is easy to set up and multiple people can send photos to the frame. It’s the perfect way to let grandparents see and display the latest family photos .

Wireless, Microwaveable Heating Pads

Give a gift of warmth. Heat is one of the best ways to ease an achy back, a sore neck or shoulders. And a microwavable heating pad like this UNCN Wide Microwave Heating Pad is a comforting, relaxing, and easy way to apply that heat.  Just pop the soft, fabric-covered wrap in the microwave for  2 minutes, and then drape it around your neck or shoulders. If your back aches, wedge the wrap between your back and whatever chair you’re sitting in. The wrap warms and relaxes you for about 20 minutes.  Get soothing relief without wires or having to sit near an electric outlet.

Another option is this soft microwavable heating pad that wraps around your neck and shoulders. It stays in place while you sit or move. Relieves stress and soothes achy muscles. Use it while you’re using your computer, watching tv, or even while you’re moving around making dinner.

Fast Charger Block

No one ever seems to  have enough outlets in convenient places to charge all the devices that need to be charged daily. That’s especially true in older houses or apartments.   You can solve the problem with a multi-port fast charger block like this one. It has  4 USB-C Ports and 4 QC USB-A Ports  so you can charge up to  8 different devices at full speed simultaneously. 

Hands-Free Slip-On Shoes

Do you know someone who has difficulty bending over to put their shoes on or take them off? Or someone who can’t be bothered to tie and untie shoes? They just kick them off, and then wiggle their foot back in when they want to put them on?

Hands-free slip on shoes from Sketchers and other manufacturers are the perfect solution. They’re available for men or women.  Wear them indoors or outdoors. (I use machine-washable slip-ons as slippers because they have more support than most slippers.) 

Toiletry Travel Bag         

Do you have a traveler on your gift list?  A folding, waterproof toiletry bag is a great gift. They organize those little items you need to carry. The plastic compartments help protect the rest of your suitcase contents in the event of a leak or spill. There’s a wide assortment of styles and colors for women and for men.

Self-Inflatable Neck Pillow

This self-inflatable neck pillow is another great gift for travelers. It’s one of my favorite travel accessories. It folds up small and fits in a large handbag, a backpack, or a small carry-on. So you can keep it out of site and out of your way until you’re ready to use it. When you are ready to use it, press the built-in pump to quickly inflate it. When you’re done, deflate it and tuck it away in your handbag or carry-on.

Cordless stick vacuum

Do you think giving someone a vacuum cleaner for a gift is a horrible idea? Think again.  A lightweight, cordless stick vacuum cleaner can be the perfect gift for an older person (or younger one) who hates having to lug out a big vacuum to clean up a small mess.  I got one as a gift a couple of years ago and love it. It lets me quickly clean up crumbs on the kitchen floor and do other light vacuuming chores without having to drag the big heavy canister vacuum out of the back of the closet.

Video doorbell

A video doorbell lets a person see who’s at the door without getting up and helps you’re your loved one’s home safe.  Depending on the brand and features you choose, you can talk to the people at your door (from wherever you are), get motion detection alerts, and even make a siren sound to scare off a would-be intruder.  Consider arranging for installation. Most video doorbells connect to smartphones, so if you’re buying this for an older adult, be ready to provide help (if needed) getting the app set up on their smartphone. Check out these top-rated models.

LED Page Magnifier

Have someone on your list whose vision makes it difficult to read the newspaper, books, recipes, and other reading material? A lighted, light-weight page-size magnifier will help them enjoy reading again. 

Grabber Reacher Tool

Need assistance with picking things up from the floor or reaching things up high? Reacher-grabber tools offer a practical way to do things that are hard to do. Use them to do everything from picking up something you dropped,  grabbing something that fell in a small space, reaching something off a top shelf, or even reaching into the back of the dryer to pull out your clothes to fold.  (We even use one outside to pick up debri that collects in the pool skimmer in the summer.) There are a wide variety of types. The best choices are sturdy but lightweight. (Check out our video on different types of grabbers.)

Doorknob Opener

Do you know someone with arthritic hands, or who has difficulty opening doorknobs for some other reason? This doorknob opener is an easy way to solve the problem. It slips easily over a doorknob and has small lever-like edges that you can push on to make the doorknob turn.  (See our doorknob opener video.)

Pill Popper/ Pill Extractor

Some prescription and over-the-counter medications come packaged in blister packs. While those blister packs may make distribution convenient for the manufacturers, getting the pills out of them can be frustrating. It can be extremely difficult and frustrating for people who have arthritis or who don’t have much strength in their hands.  This clever pill popper gadget solves the problem and makes a great stocking stuffer, too. https://amzn.to/3V8YgH7

Lumbar support pillow

A lumbar support pillow is just the thing for achy backs. They can help alleviate pressure, support body weight and keep you sitting up straighter. whether sitting on a sofa or lounge chair, or in a desk chair.  https://amzn.to/3Ojn2Rb

A Hobby

Retirement is a great time to explore those hobbies and passions that there was no time to pursue before retiring.  Help your retired family get started in (or re-engage with ) things they enjoy doing or always wanted to do. Here are some suggestions to get a loved one started on a new hobby, or to provide supplies for an existing hobby:

Digital keyboard

Know someone who used to play the piano or always wanted to learn to play the piano? A digital keyboard could be the perfect gift for them.  Many are compact, so they can fit in small spaces.

Beginner’s Guitar

You don’t have to be young to learn to play the guitar! If you know someone was involved in music in the past, or who’s said they always wanted to play the guitar, a beginner’s guitar could be an ideal gift. Add in a link to online lessons or a learn to play the guitar book. 

Art Supplies

Do you have someone on your list who enjoys painting and drawing  – or doing other artistic hobbies? Or perhaps there’s someone who’s always wanted to draw or paint, and has time to do so now that they’re retired? These painting and drawing kits  or individual items like a sketch book or fabric paints, may make an ideal gift. (or other hobby supplies). https://amzn.to/4eMzGTB

Terry Cloth Spa Bathrobe

Warm, soft, and absorbent, spa-like terry cloth bathrobes make you quickly feel warm and dry after a shower or bath. They’re also a great way to take off the morning chill when you first wake up.  They’re available for men  and women.

Portable Car Tire Inflator

It’s important for your safety and your car’s overall performance to maintain tire pressure at the level the car manufacturer recommends. But tire pressure can change. It can go down a lot on cold winter mornings, for instance. A portable car tier inflator makes it easy for anyone to get the air pressure back to the right level without heading having to go to a gas station that has a device that lets you add air to your tires. It’s also useful to have in the car in case you tire pressure changes while your driving.

Experiences

Older people sometimes don’t want more “stuff” to dust, store, or clutter up their living quarters. For those who are able to and like to get out, a gift certificate to the theater, the movies, their favorite restaurant, an art show, or some other experience they’d enjoy

The Gift of Time

Sometimes the best gift of all is the time you spend with your older loved one or friend. It may be time spent talking and reminiscing, or maybe fixing things or cleaning things that are difficult for them to do for themselves. But just being there for them may be the best gift of all.