As relatives get older, it becomes increasingly difficult to find them original gifts that they will actually use and enjoy. Grandparents are a particular problem, especially those who have health problems and find themselves stuck in the house most of the time; unable to enjoy their old hobbies, there are gifts out there that can give them something interesting and fun to do while they are at home resting.

Grandmas probably get very tired of receiving bath sets and scarves, while most Grandads probably have enough socks and ties to last them the rest of their life, so they are sure to appreciate when a younger relative puts a bit of thought into their birthday or Christmas gift and goes to the trouble of buying them something either useful, entertaining or even both.

Spend some time talking to your grandparents to see if they have taken up any new hobbies or interests, or if there is a particular author or TV show that they enjoy. Many older people, and younger ones too, have become fascinated by genealogy in recent years, thanks to the increasing number of TV programmes that trace the family trees of various celebrities.

Give them a helping hand to start tracing your own family background by buying them a book or a kit on how to use various resources to find out about their ancestors. There is even a special starter package which, once registered, provides them with a fancy certificate which tells the history of their surname.

Sticking with the historical theme, grandparents who have lived in the same area for many years or even all their lives will undoubtedly appreciate map of their town or village from some time in the past. Buy them a gift box and they can choose the era; perhaps when they were born, married or bought their first home in the region covered by the map.

If you would prefer to buy your grandparents a more useful gift, there are dozens of gadgets available from online stores that aim to make life easier for older people. Gifts such as a hand-held mini hoover can help with household chores, especially in hard-to-reach places, while the novel “Lav Nav” helps night-time toilet users to see their way safely to the loo in the middle of the night.

Attached to the toilet lid by a secure sticky strip, the light glows red if Grandad has forgotten to put the seat back down and green if Grandma can sit down in safety. Midnight trips to the lavatory can now be carried out while grandparents are still half-asleep, but without anyone getting any nasty surprises.

Finally, scientific evidence has shown that it is important for older people to keep their minds active as this can actually help to fight conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Give your grandparents the cheeky Mind Trainer Toilet Roll and they can do Sudoku puzzles and word games while sitting on the loo. If your grandparents have a good sense of humour, then this could be the perfect gift.