Of course, we love spending time with family and friends during the holidays and for many of us, buying and giving gifts adds to the joy of Christmas. But even the festive holidays lose appeal when picking a gift is hard. Picking a thoughtful gift under $50 for a baby boomer may not be the easiest task to keep up on every year, but it can be done! 

Here is a list of 10 holiday gift ideas you can get for under $50 that will be sure to please the baby boomer on your Christmas list! 

1. Make It About Their Pet – We all know a baby boomer who has a pet that is really treated like his/her child. The pet is spoiled and your loved one cannot go anywhere without the pet. A great holiday gift for this person would be an individualized holiday decoration with the pet’s name or photo, or a welcome mat for the front door saying, “Home of the world’s cutest dog.” 
2. Funny T-Shirts – If your loved one has a sense of humor, don’t rule out the idea of a sassy novelty t-shirt that says, “I’m not old, I’m a classic” or “you can’t scare me, I’m a baby boomer.” The choices are endless, and the gift is fun for the right type of personality. 
3. Pet Rock – It may seem silly to you to spend money on a rock, but this is a nostalgic replica for baby boomers. If you want to make someone smile and remind them of their younger years…go for the pet rock! Maybe even put your own spin on it for something extra special. 
4. Books On Tape – Give the gift of literature to a loved one who enjoys learning or reading. They can play the tapes in the car while driving or on a stereo while working in the garden. For baby boomers who have trouble reading or have failing eyesight, this is a great and considerate gift. Just make sure you pick something from the right genre. Consider a modern twist on this with a subscription to something like Audible where there are monthly credits to pick a book and enjoy. 
5. Hobby Gifts – Don’t underestimate the value of spending money on your loved one’s favorite hobby. Chances are, they already spend a fair amount of money on yarn, fabric, or modeling clay. Whatever they enjoy spending their free time doing, consider purchasing some materials that they need. If possible try to find something they’d really like, but just can’t talk themselves into buying. 
6. Cheese Baskets – Seriously! Who doesn’t love cheese? The options are endless, plus it can be a fun family event if your basket comes with some cheeses that have funky flavors.
    
7. Brain Puzzles – Puzzle books like sudoku, word searches and crosswords are great for helping people retain cognitive function. Baby boomers can keep their brains healthy and enjoy a fun puzzle at the same time. Not to mention, brain puzzles are a great tool to help you calm down at night and get better sleep. 
8. Trivial Pursuit – It’s both fun and nostalgic. This is a great gift if your loved one enjoys challenges and likes get-togethers. 
9. Exotic Coffees – Trying something new is good for everyone. If your loved one is a coffee drinker, open their taste buds wide open to a new variety of coffee flavors and see if you can spark an interest in one. Venturing outside the box may encourage your loved one to try more new and exciting things. 
10. Anything Cozy – It doesn’t matter what it is. A blanket, a robe, fuzzy socks, a squishy pillow. Seek out the coziness in life and gift it to the baby boomer on your list. Pair it with some nice bubble bath or scented candles for ambiance and let them know that you want to help them relax and enjoy life. 

Loved ones are notorious for saying that they will love anything you get them…and they aren’t lying. But go for the gold and get them something they will truly enjoy! There are tons of items under $50 for the baby boomer in your life. 

The post Synergy’s Top 10 Gift Ideas Under $50 for Baby Boomers appeared first on SYNERGY HomeCare of Destin.

For seniors, maintaining a well-balanced diet and getting enough to eat is crucial for several reasons. Nutrients and vitamins that come from good food can help seniors combat different illnesses and keep up energy and strength. However, as adults age, they can struggle with different issues that make it more and more difficult to maintain a healthy diet and people living alone can struggle to find motivation to prepare meals for just themselves. Mobility issues can also be an issue, making access to grocery stores and restaurants difficult; injuries and illnesses can make it hard to cook and even grocery shop, and cognitive disorders can make cooking a safety risk for some. It’s not always an easy task for seniors to access food and keep up a healthy diet. 

Thankfully, seniors in today’s world have a number of resources they can utilize to have groceries brought to them, and to help with meal preparation. Here are five of the best ways seniors can get food delivered straight to their doors and minimize the stress of meal planning and preparation. 

1. Order Food Online From Local Services – Several businesses have recognized the need for seniors to be able to access food without having to drive to the grocery store, walk through the aisles and wait in long lines. Many companies offer monthly and annual subscriptions for grocery delivery. Places like Amazon Fresh and Shipt allow you to have the grocery shopping done for you and delivered to your home. Companies like Burpy and Peapod may only be available in some locations, but with the growing need, these companies are likely to expand and grow in popularity. Some local grocery stores may offer this service on their own. Call and check with your local grocery stores to see what options are available to you.
2. Restaurant Delivery – For those seniors that cannot or do not want to make the food themselves, there are many delivery services that will pick up restaurant prepared food for you and deliver it to your door. GrubHub, DoorDash, and UberEats are just a few of these quick delivery services that will help you get food from your favorite eateries that don’t offer delivery services. 
3. Meal Kits– One of the newer trends in online ordering is meal kits. Meal kits are fully prepared meals with pre-portioned ingredients that make it easy to cook your own delicious meals. You can sign up at places like Green Chef, Blue Apron, and Hello Fresh and start receiving meals of your choice and when you need them! 
4. Nextdoor – Nextdoor is an online community set up similarly to Facebook. It’s easy to use and you can connect with neighbors and other locals in your community to request service or ask about resources that can help you. This would be a great place to see what type of volunteer groups are available that can be of assistance when it comes to grocery shopping and delivering. 
5. Hire An In-Home Aide – In-home aides are excellent resources for seniors who need assistance with any type of daily chores or daily living tasks. Two of the major benefits of hiring in-home caregivers is that they are available for your unique and personal needs and preferences. Plus, they are experienced and reliable. In-home aides can drive you to and from the grocery store and assist you while shopping, they can help you put together a grocery and meal planning list, do the shopping for you, and bring it back to your home. They can also help with meal preparation for those who struggle with cooking meals or find cooking to be a safety hazard. 
   

These options have not been available to previous generations. Seniors and their loved ones that live in today’s world have many more resources available to them and have much more help maneuvering through life more independently. Many seniors move on to assisted living facilities much sooner than they would like to because of their struggles with being able to remain independent.  Today, seniors do have the option of living comfortably where they want, longer, thanks to the many growing resources available. 

The post 5 Ways Seniors Can Have Food Delivered to their Doors appeared first on SYNERGY HomeCare of Destin.

DEARBORN, Mich.

“Well the first time we saw each other was on a bowling league,” said Kay Withers. “He did say ‘maybe we could play tennis sometime or something,’ then I never heard from him. I kind of dismissed it.”

So maybe not at first sight. But Harry did eventually call. And since their first date, a relationship spawned, lasting a lifetime. Marrying on Feb. 28, 1970, they had three kids. Now, four grandchildren later, the couple is preparing to celebrate an impressive feat: 50 years of marriage.

“He is such a laid-back easy-going gentle man and he would do anything for anybody even now you want to help me all the time don’t you Harry?” Kay said. “Yeah, he’s a sweetheart.”

 
Kay and Harry Withers married in Feb 28, 1970. Now three children and four grandchildren later, the couple is about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. But over the course of five decades, Harry has begun to develop dementia. With the help of a Synergy Homecare, Kay is planning a celebration of their marriage worth remembering.

But over the course of those five decades, something has changed. Harry has developed dementia, which continues to worsen. To compensate for his deteriorating condition, the Withers moved into Henry Ford Retirement Community in Dearborn where Kay can take care of her husband.

Receiving assistance from Synergy Homecare, that’s when Kay found out about the Senior Genie Dream Contest.

“I read it, ‘what would your dream be?’ And I thought ‘what would my dream be’ and then I thought about the fact our anniversary is coming up,” said Kay.

With Harry’s memories continuing to fade, Kay wanted to celebrate their marriage while her husband can still remember their love and recognize his family. So, she submitted a letter to SYNERGY HomeCare’s owner, Jeff Shultz.

“It was generally the love that we could see in her response. It wasn’t just one, but it was the whole context of it and it was something that we said ‘hey this is the one we go to do and we’re excited to be able to do it,” said Schultz.

Synergy is flying out their children and hosting their 50th-anniversary party. That includes dozens of their closest family and friends will be there to celebrate their big day – a dream come true for Kay.

“I want them to be able to talk to him and smile with him and maybe even dance,” said Withers. “I think having all the people around that have come to support us and show their love is going to mean a great deal to the both of us.”

If anyone is looking for advice on how to pull off commitment for such an extended period of time, pay attention to the sentiment below.

“Just keep in touch with each other and make sure you show each other some love. Because you need that to get through raising children and all the financial stresses and moving houses and whatever you do,” said Withers.

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