Date published: 2023-12-06

Technology gifts don’t always work out as planned

Technology has brought many wonderful conveniences to everyday life. 

Of course, we want the people we care about to benefit from these comforts and innovations too.

However, there are some expensive tech gifts that may seem like fantastic ideas, but after further investigation, turn out to be terrible gifts for seniors.

These gifts could cause frustration, upset, or might even become household hazards.

To help avoid these pitfalls, we’ve rounded up 5 worst technology gifts for seniors and share suggestions for what to give instead.

5 worst expensive technology gifts for seniors

1. The latest smartphone Today’s smartphones can do so many amazing things. They keep us connected and entertained as well as make life easier and more convenient.

Of course we’d want to share those benefits with the older adults we care so much about – a new smartphone would be a fantastic holiday gift, right?

But many seniors prefer to keep things simple and stick with what’s familiar. If your older adult falls into this category, giving them the latest smartphone probably won’t be a good fit.

For example, learning how to use the latest smartphone will be tough for someone who isn’t tech-savvy. 

There will be too many bells and whistles for someone who isn’t familiar with the technology. Most likely, they’ll get frustrated, won’t want to learn to use it, and just stick it in a drawer somewhere.

Better options What might work better is to get them a simpler smartphone, flip phone, or specialty phone in order to give them the key benefits of staying connected and being able to call for help when needed.

Our suggestions:

1. GreatCall Jitterbug Smart4 – a smartphone designed especially for seniors with larger screen, louder speakers, real-time call captioning, emergency and safety features, and more

2. GreatCall Jitterbug Smart3 (now 70% off) – a smartphone designed especially for seniors with large screen, clear speakers, emergency and safety features, and more

3. GreatCall Lively Flip2 – a flip-style mobile phone with large buttons, a large screen, and emergency and safety features

4. RAZ Memory Cell Phone – a dementia-friendly mobile phone with a single-screen that never turns off, this is a picture-based cell phone that someone with cognitive impairment can actually use

2. The latest tablet device Similar to the latest smartphones, the latest tablet devices are wonderful for staying connected and for entertainment. That makes it seem like a wonderful, useful gift.

But these feature-packed tablets also have lots of bells and whistles that your older adult would need to navigate in order to find the things they care about – most likely, video calling with family and friends and looking at photos.

Better options Instead, consider simplified tablets, video-based devices, or photo-focused devices because those are the features that your older adult likely values most.

Our suggestions:

1. GrandPad or Claris Companion – these simplified tablets are great for seniors who just want a simple, secure way to call, video chat, or share photos and messages with family and friends

2. Amazon Echo Show 8: 3rd Gen, 2023 release or 2nd Gen, 2021 release – these Alexa voice assistant and video devices make video calling a breeze

3. ViewClix Smart Frame – smart picture frames display digital photos and have video calling with an auto-answer mode. When auto-answer is set up, the older adult doesn’t need to do anything to receive a video call.

4. BSIMB WiFi Digital Picture Frame 10.1 Inch – 1280 x 800 IPS touch screen, 32 GB storage, send photos for instant display via app, email, social media

5. Nixplay WiFi Smart Digital Picture Frame 10.1 Inch – 1280 x 800 HD IPS display, create a secure photo-sharing network for your family to share photos and short videos from their smartphone or by email

3. Robot vacuum cleaner Everyone loves clean floors, but it takes a lot of regular vacuuming to make that happen.

To save time and energy, many people have turned to robot vacuum cleaners to help them get the job done.

These can be a great solution – but they do require set up and maintenance.

If you were to give a gift of a robot vacuum cleaner to an older adult, they might not be willing or able to do what’s needed to keep it running.

For example, these robot vacuum cleaners use an app for setup and scheduling. They also need to be emptied regularly.

Plus, the floors must be kept relatively clear in order to let the vacuum do its job. And if they get stuck, a human needs to pick them up and get them going again.

With technology, there will always be glitches or times when a device needs to be reset, restarted, or reprogrammed (in the app). 

If you’re not living close by and able to step in whenever help is needed or when maintenance is needed, a robot vacuum might not be a good idea.

And in some cases, it might even become a tripping hazard if your older adult somehow doesn’t notice it as it moves across the floor.

Better options Instead, consider a gift of once- or twice-a-month vacuuming. You could do it during your visits, enlist a trusted friend or family member to help, or hire a house cleaning service for them.

4. New flat screen “smart” TV and/or streaming service Chances are, your older adult’s TV is an older model so you might think they’d love the gift of an upgraded flat screen with the latest features.

It’s true that a new flat screen will be beautiful, but a new TV will be very different to operate than the one they’re used to – they’re typically much more complex.

All the new TVs are “smart,” that is, they’re connected to the internet and many have a variety of apps and services.

They do offer a lot of entertainment choices, but sometimes it’s too many. And navigating all these menus and options can be frustrating, even for the most tech-savvy of us.

To go along with the new TV, you might also want to get them a subscription to Netflix, Hulu, or another popular streaming service so they’ll have thousands of shows to choose from.

But many older adults enjoy watching the same TV shows they’re familiar with and aren’t as interested in exploring new shows.

Better options Instead of a fancy new TV with streaming service, consider getting them something that enhances the form of entertainment they enjoy using most. 

Some suggestions:

1. Perhaps they’re comfortable with DVDs – or maybe even VHS tapes. If that’s the case, buy them some TV shows or movies you know they’d love to watch in the format they’re used to.

2. 2024 Gesobyte Amplified HD Digital TV Antenna – if they’re using an antenna to watch TV, but aren’t getting great reception, consider this one that could give them a clearer picture

3. Continuus Universal Big Button TV Remote – a simplified remote control makes it even easier to turn the TV on and off and change channels

4. TV Ears Digital Wireless Headset System, Connects to Both Digital and Analog TVs – this wireless headphone set allows someone to turn up the TV volume as loud as they need without disturbing others

5. SIMOLIO Wireless Portable TV Speakers with TV Audio Listening Assistance – this device projects sound from the TV to a wireless speaker you can place right next to your older adult so they can hear clearly. Plus, there’s an optional lightweight headset for quiet TV viewing.

5. Smart home appliances Technology innovation has given us smart home appliances like lights, heating/cooling system controls, electrical plugs, toasters, refrigerators, coffee makers, and more.

If you or another trusted person lives near enough to set things up, regularly check on things, and fix any issues that might come up, it would be wonderful to automate their household appliances as a thoughtful gift.

For example, you could set the heat to automatically come on an hour before your older adult wakes each morning and the coffee pot to brew 10 minutes before they have breakfast.

You could put indoor lights on a schedule so they automatically turn on before it gets dark. And you could monitor the contents of their smart refrigerator so you’d know when to restock certain groceries.

However, if something stops working or goes haywire, your older adult would likely have no idea how to fix it or even get the appliance to work again. 

For example, you wouldn’t want them to be without certain lights or without heat/cooling when they need it because nobody is available to fix the issue.

So if you’re not able to help with any issues as soon as they come up, it may be better to skip these smart home gifts.

Better options Instead, consider these helpful “low tech” gifts that also make everyday life better:

1. AMIR Newest Mini Motion Sensor Light LED (6 pack) – great for automatically lighting stairs, dark corners, closets, or cabinets

2. Keurig K-Mini Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker – a pod coffee maker makes coffee quickly and is easy to clean, add different coffee pods for variety

3. Electric Jar Opener – make opening jars a cinch with this automatic jar opener that’s lightweight and easy to store

Recommended for you:

1. 50+ Best Gifts for Seniors: Things You’ve Never Thought Of

2. 33 Wonderful Gifts for Senior Women

3. 38 Great Gifts for Senior Men

By DailyCaring Editorial Team

This article wasn’t sponsored, but does contain some affiliate links. We never link to products or services for the sole purpose of making a commission. Recommendations are based on our honest opinions. For more information, see How We Make Money.

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