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Media Relations

Gift guide: For your hard-to-buy-for older friends or relatives, a boost to their quality of life

Indiana University Bloomington aging, accessibility and recreation experts offer some top picks

Lesa Lorenzen-Huber is a gerontology expert and assistant professor in the Department of Applied Health Science. The high-tech gifts below, which Lorenzen-Huber will discuss in a course titled "Health, Technology and Aging," are examples of how technology can keep people active and independent as they age. She included the spa gift ideas, because they can go a long way in making a loved one feel good.

• Brain Age. This Nintendo game can help people stay cognitively active, postpone the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and give them something in common with their grandchildren. The software costs around $20 and requires a Nintendo DS handheld game system, which is sold separately and costs around $130.
• Garmin Forerunner. This global position system also monitors heart rate, speed, distance, pace and calories burned. It is a high-end, high-tech item costing around $260. Other less expensive yet effective devices include pedometers and accelerometers, which measure the intensity of physical activity. Lorenzen-Huber said most people tend to overestimate how active they are. These items can keep us honest and offer encouragement to increase our physical activity. "Part of the gift involves your time, calibrating the information," Lorenzen-Huber said.
• Ambient Executive Dashboard. This wireless gadget lets people track stocks, weather or other interests in real time without the use of a computer or Wi-Fi. It costs around $150.
• Pedicure. The gift is even more enjoyable if the giver accompanies the recipient. "It's time spent together," Lorenzen-Huber said. "And for an older person, having their feet cared for and rubbed -- they can't always reach them well -- it can be a real treat."
• Massage. A massage can be a nice gift if the recipient is comfortable being massaged. Some masseurs specialize in massage for older people or are more sensitive to such issues as modesty and skin needs. Lorenzen-Huber recommends inquiring about the masseur's experience with older clientele.

Jennifer Skulski and Alice Voigt are accessibility specialists for the Indiana University-based National Center on Accessibility, an influential resource for promoting access for people with disabilities to recreational activities and facilities. "Getting out and participating in recreational activities is important, even if a person has acquired a disability or physical impairment," Skulski said. "Technology has made adaptive equipment more available and affordable for consumers."

• Electronic or "smart" level. Unlike traditional levels with the bubble gauge, the electronic level has a digital display and audible signal for measuring the slope of a surface. The readout displays in percent and degrees. "When we conduct accessibility training with park and recreation professionals in the field, this is one of their favorite tools to use during a site assessment," said Skulski. "Many comment on how they need to pick one up for their own personal use." Electronic levels range in price from $80 to $200 and can be found at most home improvement stores. Manufacturers include Stabila or Stanley.
• Adaptive fishing equipment. With the help of adaptive equipment, people who have experienced disability can continue to enjoy this sport regardless of any physical limitations. An electronic reel or easy cast unit can make casting easier for people with limited mobility or limited use of one arm. Adapted rod holders and pole holsters are just some of the many kinds of adapted equipment available. "People who have experienced a stroke, arthritis, spinal cord injury or other disabling condition can use all of these resources to get them back to the joys of fishing," Voigt said. Access to Recreation (http://www.accesstr.com/) is an online catalog for adapted recreation equipment, including fishing rods and other fishing accessories.

Stori Snyder is the assistant director of Hilltop Garden and Nature Center on the IU Bloomington campus. Hilltop Garden grounds include a variety of enabling garden structures that until recently overflowed with cherry tomatoes, peppers, basil, rosemary, petunias, and other flowers and vegetables.

• Build mom a garden. Vertical and elevated gardening structures can help gardening enthusiasts pursue their passion despite limitations they might experience from aging or disability. Gardening techniques, such as the liberal use of compost, allow gardeners to plant more vegetables and flowers in smaller areas. Elevated garden boxes lined with a bench make gardening easier for people who cannot stand for long amounts of time. Vertical boxes with a trellised face let people tend their flowers while standing. Garden baskets and boxes can be mounted on chain-linked fences or on posts, allowing for them to be adjusted according to height needs. Garden boxes filled with beautifully scented herbs can make gardening easier and more enjoyable for people with visual impairments. Snyder said the structures in their enabling garden have a simple design and can be built by amateur craftsman. Finding the designs, however, and adapted gardening equipment, requires some research because most home improvement stores do not have kits for such structures or adapted tools. The American Horticultural Therapy Association, http://www.ahta.org/information/, lists a variety of books about gardening. Snyder also recommends The Able Gardener by Kathleen Yeomans. The Able Gardener Web site, http://www.ablegardener.co.uk/tmenu/home.asp, sells gardening accessories that are adapted for different needs.

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