Sometimes it’s hard to choose the right gift for an aging parent, grandparent or loved one. After all, they’ve had a lifetime of gifts and often have a different perspective on life than you may have.

Here are some gift ideas for the hard to buy for.

•Blankets or throws: Whether you’re a talented quilter who can create a homemade masterpiece, or you prefer to customize with a heartfelt photo throw from Costco or Shutterfly, this is a gift option that will warm the soul along with the aging body.

•Chocolate: Studies show that chocolate may help improve brain health and thinking in the elderly, and it is available everywhere.

•Tablets and iPads: These all-in-one devices are in many ways tailored for seniors with their touch-screen technology and large print options. If they need a little one-on-one training they can come to the senior center for that.

•Tickets to performances: For elderly people on fixed incomes, tickets to films, live theater, and concerts are often beyond their reach. A gift of tickets, especially to see a favorite actor, play, or performer, is often a special gift. We are so fortunate to have the Paramount Theatre right here in Austin.

•Gift certificates to grocery stores and favorite dining venues

•Clocks: Large numbers and date displays come in handy when your days run together.

•Salt and pepper grinders: for those who love fresh ground but don’t have the strength to twist it this is the perfect gift.

•Photo books, scrapbooks and custom videos.

 Bake sale

Come to the Senior Center on Tuesday and Wednesday for our annual bake sale. Lots of cookies, candies and pies to help you entertain your guests over the holidays. At noon on Wednesday we are having a soup (bean and ham) and baked potato bar with all the fixings for only $5, we will even through in the dessert.

We look forward to seeing you at our many programs at the Mower County Senior Center. Don’t forget our coffee shop where every day you can have homemade soup for $1 and a sandwich for 50 cents. Tuesday we are having hamburger stroganoff for only $2.

 Upcoming events

Monday: Bone Builders, 9 a.m.; Blood pressure checks, 9 a.m.; Cards (Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge), 12:30 p.m.; Exercise w/Evie’s Friends, 1 p.m.

Tuesday: Bake Sale 8 to 4 p.m.; Silver Sneakers, 8:15 a.m.; Exercise with Evies Friends, 9 a.m.; Hamburger stroganoff, 11:30 a.m.; Cards (Pinochle, Duplicate Bridge) 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Bake Sale 8 to 4 p.m.; Walking Club, 9 a.m.; Tai Chi, 9 a.m.; Wood Carvers, 9 a.m.; Soup and baked potato bar, noon; Weight Watchers, 12:15 p.m.; Cards, 12:30 p.m.; Cards (Duplicate Bridge, Pinochle, Cribbage), 12:30 p.m.; Stitching Bees, 1 p.m.; Open chess, 1 p.m.; Weight Watchers, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday: Closed for Christmas Eve

Friday: Closed for Christmas Day

 Weekly Card Results

Monday Bridge

Dec. 7, two tables

1st Millie Seiver, 2nd David Solomonson, 3rd Ann Dvorak, 4th Lois Johnson

Tuesday Duplicate Bridge

Dec. 8, six tables

1st Gail Schmidt, 1st Ray Schmidt; 2nd Bud Higgins, 2nd Vandy Newman; 3rd Gene Muchow, 3rd Ron Peters;

4th Millie Seiver, 4th Joyce Crowe; 5th Jim Fisher, 5th Larry Crowe; 6th Carolyne Higgins, 6th Cleo Osmundson

Tuesday 500

Dec. 8, two tables

1st Romans Kikuts, 2nd Mary Kikuts, 3rd Barb Dickman, 4th Sally Michaels

Wednesday Cribbage

Dec. 9, 1.5 tables

1st John Karnes, 2nd Mercedes Nordstrom, 3rd Bernice Scholer

Friday Bridge

Dec. 11, two tables

1st John Karnes, 2nd Dave Solomonson, 3rd Carolyn Hoiggins, 4th Dick Titus, 5th Lois Johnson

Pinochle

Dave Solomonson

Friday 500

Dec. 11, three tables

1st Dennis Bray, 2nd Russ Vaale, 3rd Gene Rauen

Friday Cribbage

No Results