My mom finds the food monotonous. Send snacks - cookies, chocolate, cheese, fruit. Harry & David care package.

It's so personal on what they need want. I'd put high on the list their own bedding and towels and pillows. Bath robe or two. Lots of extra clothing as it gets destroyed or lost.

Fresh flowers
A note pad
A plant or two (it’s good for health to take care of a plant)

A chair that helps them stand up, once it is hard to get in and out/up and down. Looks like a lazy-boy, but has an additional lever that helps older folks get up

Framed family photos.

Large rpint calendar with tear off pages. I know all of our digital gadgets can display dates, but sometimes fumbling with those electronic things is just troublesome. All the senior wants to keep track of is the date!

I also purchased an easy to view atomic clock with largish display. My particular model that I gave to my dad has the date, time, weather, and displays atomospheric pressure. He loves it.

I got my mom magazines, newspaper subscription, cable and brought fresh fruit and other treats every week.

Crossword puzzles. Like, books filled with them. THey need to stay sharp mentally.

My grandmother loved her digital frame we could send photos to via wifi. She also enjoyed nice soaps and lotions.

My parents live in a different country and landed in assisted living facility quite unexpectedly (not entirely true in my opinion but they disagree). One parent has limited mobility and another parent is battling their own health issues.

What little things can I get them that will make their lives a little happier? The facility itself is great but they take care of mostly physical needs not whether the patients are happy. My parents won’t tell me even if they want something nor will they buy it for themselves.

I was thinking along the lines of a big thermos so they can have tea/coffee at the ready, magazine subscription and such. Key being that they won’t scold me for “wasting money” and also the item shouldn’t come across as precious that they store it away for grandkids 😊

They are very much there mentally. So that is not an issue.

What did your elderly parents in similar situations like and enjoy?