Ask before you come over. Maybe your family member is tired and wants to be left alone.
Include your family member in family events whenever possible. I do not just mean Thanksgiving and other major holidays, I mean school plays, soccer games, movies, dinners out—whatever the elder physically can handle. If the person is not physically able to attend, how about video chat?
Set up regular flower deliveries.
Bring books. There is a special program through the Library of Congress that provides electronic readers for people who are legally blind.
Buy a computer with Internet access. Older adults CAN use them—you just may need to make the typeface on the screen larger. Or, use a tablet or smart phone.
Finally, do not forget the manicures. If your relative is house-bound, see if a local manicurist can come by to file her nails and do a polish change. The licensing requirements vary state by state, but there are some that will allow this.
