Hey there, Adult Child of Aging Parents: Are you up to your neck in the search for that one special gift for your elderly parent? And, have you been wandering through stores and the internet marketplace in a sort of midlife fog, searching for anything that will work? Well, do I have the perfect gift for you!

In fact, not only do I have the perfect gift . . . I have the perfect gift in several sizes (i.e., You get to choose how much you want to spend and how you want it wrapped and delivered.) Even better, it's going to cost you next to nothing unless you want it to - financially speaking! That's right. Money-wise, you're home free - pretty much.

Of course, there IS a cost involved. (Come on, you knew there would be.) The cost is your time. But then, as I said already, you get to decide just how much you want to "spend" . . . how much of your precious time you want to share . . . as your gift to your parents.

And I realize time is money, so I'm giving you several options . . each a little more costly. This is really a totally great gift! Have I said enough to peak your interest? Okay. Here it is.

. . . . Give them the Gift of a Book . . . as read by YOU

You say your aging or elderly parents read fine on their own? Are you sure? And, even if they do, so what?! Tired eyes appreciate the break.

This is something you can do in person, over the phone, by recording your own voice, or with a simple purchase. It's an act of connection, and one they'll more than likely truly enjoy.

Is there something your elderly mother would love to read if she only could? Is your aging father plagued with medical problems that make it too difficult to focus on small print? Well, there's your gift. Give them the gift of the books they've been missing.

Let me break this down into several options. You'll probably come up with even more, but here's a start, going from most costly (in terms of your time involvement) to least, and also going from least expensive (in terms of high finance) to most.

Give your elderly parent their favorite book - or a book they'd love to read:

1. As read by YOU. Give them the gift of your promise to visit them in person or on the phone - on whatever schedule you set - and read that book to them from cover to cover . . maybe once . . maybe twice . . maybe move on to another book and another and another. Just having you there, giving of yourself to read to them will open up all kinds of avenues for sharing and getting to know each other at a deeper level.

2. As recorded by you. Maybe you can't possibly set a schedule for visiting with your aging parent. That's okay. You can, however find the time throughout the new year to read one or several books to them from wherever you are if you read them into your hand-held recorder or computer. Just record them - chapter by chapter if you prefer - and give or send those recordings to your parents. As difficult as it might be for you to imagine, there's probably nothing your elderly mother or father would enjoy more than the sound of your voice! And with recordings, they can listen whenever and as often as they like. You don't have to be there for the gift to keep giving.

3. Enlarged with the help of a Kindle. This is a little less personal, but it's no less a gift. If your aging parent is an avid reader - and able to read for themselves - but finds reading to be a real struggle because of waning eyesight, this is the perfect gift. The Kindle is a hand-held reading device that delivers literally thousands of books in large print. It isn't cheap, but what the Kindle gives back more than makes up for the initial expense. It's an incredible little beast of a machine! Check it out at www.amazon.com, and see if it isn't the gift you've been looking for.

There you go. Three new possibilities for solving your shopper's dilemma. I hope one of these fits your needs, because I guarantee that each would be most thankfully received should you decide to give it to your aging or elderly parent.