It can be difficult to buy useful and thoughtful gifts for inactive or less active senior citizens. Often grandparents and other elderly family and friends have few needs, few wants, and very little storage space. Here are some good gift ideas for less able loved ones.

Actually sold as a children’s toy, a Cozy Cookie makes a lovely gift for the elderly. These adorable, warm and cuddly plush gingerbread cookie dolls feel and smell wonderful. Just pop them in the microwave for two minutes and the warmth and the wonderful aroma of gingerbread will delight any senior.

Book Butler Book Stand: The Book Butler is a book stand that makes it easier for older people with hand pain or weakness to view books and turn pages. This book stand will accommodate almost any paperback or hard cover, including very large books, all at a comfortable angle.

Long Playing Card Holder: Active seniors who enjoy playing card games with others, but who have limited hand usage, will enjoy this thoughtful gift. This long rack displays cards so they may be easily seen, added, or removed much more easily than trying to hold multiple cards. Pencils fit on the front of the holder and it can also hold recipes or memos.

Losing Your Vision Doesn’t Have to Mean Losing Your Confidence

Throughout your life, vision has likely been your main primary sense. Some researchers estimate that the sense of sight provides approximately 80% of all the information we receive about the world. You’ve probably been using your vision - unconsciously for the most part - to double check the accuracy of your other senses. For example, when you hear a siren from a fire engine, your tendency is to confirm that it is indeed a fire engine by turning to look at it. Because of this tendency, you may feel less confident about your other senses since you can’t depend on vision as you used to.

In time, and with training, you can learn to make maximum use of all your senses: touch, hearing, smell, and any remaining vision - as well as improve your visual memory. Gradually, with practice and successful new experiences, you can begin to trust your other senses and rebuild your confidence.

There are many misconceptions about vision loss and blindness among the general public. Here are some of them:

All blind people are totally blind.
There is a wide spectrum of sight loss among people who are legally blind, ranging from slight impairment of vision all the way to total  blindness. Only about 10 percent of legally blind people are totally blind. The majority of people who are blind have some degree of vision remaining.

Legal blindness means total blindness.
Legal blindness is a term used by the IRS and other agencies to determine whether a person is eligible for disability benefits or other services. Legal blindness does not necessarily mean total blindness. You are considered legally blind if the central vision in your better eye, with the best correction possible, is no better than 20/200 (20/20 being normal); or if your peripheral vision is no greater than 20 degrees diameter in your better eye.

All blind people can read braille.
Only about 10 percent of people who are blind or visually impaired can read and write braille.

There is no treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
There are two types of AMD-”wet” and “dry.” The wet form can often be successfully treated with laser surgery to prevent further vision loss if caught early. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for the dry form. However, most people with AMD will not become totally blind and will retain some peripheral vision.

“I’d be legally blind without my glasses.”
This is incorrect, as an important qualification of legal blindness is the phrase “with best correction.” A person is legally blind only if their vision is so impaired that even while wearing the best glasses that doctors can prescribe, they are not able to read the big “E” on the doctor’s eye chart.

Wanting to eat healthier? Maybe lose some weight or keep the pounds off? Ever wonder just how big a portion size is? You won’t have to think long with the Meal Measure, a simple and easy portion control tool for those who want to regain control of their diet and their lives. Set the plastic tool on the plate and measure away.

Meal Measure helps you manage your weight, one portion at a time. It is easy to use and measures your food right on your plate. Meal Measure fits most dinner plates. The cavities of the Meal Measure are labeled vegetable or fruit, starch, and protein. Each Meal Measure cavity is one cup at the top with a one-half cup line inside. The protein portion is equal to the size of a deck of cards. Meal Measure follows the USDA My Pyramid serving sizes and is top-rack dishwasher safe.

Some other ways to help you eat healthy:

• Have a light healthy meal or snack to take the edge off your hunger before you go to a party
• Don’t leave bowls of chocolate, candy and nuts around where it’s all too easy to keep helping yourself.
• Serve nuts in the shell, rather than ready shelled. It takes time and patience to crack them, which makes consumption lower.
• Cut cakes, desserts and savory tarts and quiches into portions before placing on a buffet table
• Buy dark chocolate, with a high cocoa content. You’ll get a useful dose of minerals, and its sumptuous richness means you’ll be satisfied with less.

Training will prepare military recreation managers to assist service members returning to active duty

In addition to advances in medical care, recreation programming is playing a crucial role in reintegrating wounded military personnel into family, community, and military life. Since 2001, more than 65,000 military personnel have been wounded by hostile, as well as nonhostile acts, in Iraq and Afghanistan. To help these wounded warriors, Penn State has developed a first-of-its-kind training program for military recreation managers worldwide. The Department of Defense (DoD) has agreed to fund the program through 2011, and the first program is planned for Jan. 11-15 at University Park campus.

“The Inclusive Recreation for Wounded Warriors program provides the knowledge, tools and resources recreation managers need to integrate active-duty wounded warriors into their existing recreation programs,” said Ruth Ann Jackson, executive director of the Penn State Hospitality Leadership Institute and co-principal investigator for the project. Inclusive recreation refers to modifying activities and using adaptive rehabilitation equipment to enable individuals with physical, behavioral or emotional limitations to participate in recreation.

Rehability is happy to be presenting products at this event and offering solutions to their different needs. Some of the products being featured are for specific sports such as golf, fishing and bowling. The Kool Tee golf tool addresses the problem of pain involved in bending over while playing golf, which is a common condition that affects golfers of all ages. The Strong Arm fishing rod holder helps people with limited grip and hand use to maintain total rod control, and helps stabilize the wrist and relieves fatigue.

Rehability will also be presenting products to help aid daily living such as the Slip on Typing Aid. This device enables those with hand conditions to type on a computer or typewriter. It attaches comfortably to the hand and provides 5 inches of an extended reach to touch the keyboard. For those with vision problems the page magnifier helps see small print more clearly. Also, for those who like to play cards, an automatic card shuffler and card holders that help people with limited hand use enjoy the game!