Shopping for Seniors: 10 Unique Gifts Under $100

The holiday season is in full swing, and the shopping season with it. Those who have survived the insanity of Black Friday are recovering and racing to do their remaining shopping.

One way to avoid the maddening crowd is to shop online. With that in mind, I’d like to share some recommendations on 10 awesome unique gifts for seniors from the firstSTREET catalog…all $100 or less!

The Deluxe Hearing Aid Vacuum — Like all machines, hearing aids need some periodic maintenance. Earwax, dust, moisture, and other factors can degrade a hearing aid’s usefulness over time unless some cleaning is done. This specially designed tool simplifies the process by allowing you to clean a hearing aid in a matter of seconds. Not only will it improve the hearing aid’s functionality, but it will also extend its physical lifespan as well!

Keys U See — If vision issues are impeding a tech-savvy relative, you should consider getting them this keyboard. The keys are the same size as on a normal one, but the letters printed on them are much larger. From letters to numbers, punctuation marks to symbols, each of the 104 keys on the keyboard is labeled with the largest bold print that will fit on the keycap. Truly a boon for many Silver Surfers!

Big Knob Radio — For my fellow radio fans, here is a unit that you will love. The oversized tuning dial makes it easy to tune in to your favorite stations, and it sports a two-foot telescopic antenna. Of course, this is the modern day, so it’s jazzed up with a full array of input and output jacks. You can pipe in music from your iPod, CD player, or MP3 player easily! This is a good option for the music lovers on your list who suffer a loss of dexterity.

Simple High-Def Camcorder — Designed to simplify the process of capturing memories, this hand-held camcorder switches on with one button and records with another. Don’t let the simplicity fool you though, this all-weather gadget boasts 720p high-definition, high-quality video, and also features digital zoom, an SD card slot, and the ability to take still photos as well!

EZ Read Electronic Reading Aid — Plug this into the video input of any TV (using the included cable) and then place the device over the print you want to read. It’s then enlarged and displayed right on the TV screen! A fantastic aid for the vision-impaired bibliophile in your family.

Amplified Answering Machine — Large, easy-to-use buttons and 40 dB sound amplification are only the beginning. You can also slow down the playback speed (useful if you have fast talkers in your social circle) and enjoy remote access.

Sit-N-Walk — The benefits of staying fit are well documented, and the Sit-N-Walk makes exercise easy! Tiny by the standards of exercise equipment, it mimics walking and is designed specifically to help increase circulation. The  easy-to-use tension control allows you to adjust it to your individual needs and comfort level, and you can measure progress using the built-in step counter and calorie counter. Perfect for older adults! Todd Zang, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, attests to its efficacy: “After several months of having my patients use this machine, I am pleased to report that there has been a positive response in my patients’ physical and mental health as a result. The patients have noticed an increase in energy level, muscular tone, increased warmth to their lower extremities and decreased pain secondary to circulatory problems.”

Gas Cap Tool — Hand strength is often an issue for older adults, a problem that can rear its head at some very inconvenient times. This tool ensures that loss of strength in the hands and fingers won’t delay you at the pump. A convenient handle with attachments for different-style gas caps provides enough leverage to make gassing up easy, even for arthritis sufferers.

Pill Bottle Magnifier — Prescription bottles are notorious for small, hard-to-read print, and normal magnifiers don’t help much since they are flat and the pill bottles are curved. This is where this cleverly curved magnifier enters the picture. Its curved surface wraps around a pill bottle providing equal magnification of the entire label.

My Parent’s 1st Computer Guide — No patronizing, no jargon overkill, just plain English and a series of easy instructions to help new and older users get started with their . Large print makes it easy to read, and its small size makes it easy to keep handy. Truly one of my number-one recommendations for this holiday season!