Netflix Gift Entertaining for Everyone

Dear Dr. Dave and Dr. Dee,

My mother is 89, does not drive any more, and rarely goes out except when I take her to the grocery store or run errands. She watches TV a lot, so someone at work suggested that I get her a subscription to movie rentals such as Netflix for Christmas. Is this an appropriate gift for an elderly person?

Signed,

Movies for mom

Dear Movies for mom,

A subscription for movie rentals would make a nice gift for anyone who enjoys movies.

Movies are a great form of entertainment. Many folks would rather watch movies in the comfort of their own home than go out to the movie theater. Plus movie ticket prices are very high for someone on a fixed income, although some theaters offer senior discounts.

Netflix movies can be rented for one low monthly price compared to in-store rentals that have per video rental fees. In addition, Netflix does not have due dates, late fees, shipping or handling fees (www.netflix.com).

Movie rentals delivered to your door or online have system requirements. For example, your mother would need a DVD player to view the movies on her TV or a special set-top box movie player or Netflix ready device such as Xbox 360, Roku, Samsung, TiVo, or LG to watch movies or TV episodes instantly.

If your mother has a computer, she could watch movies or TV episodes online, but would need a computer with a broadband connection and Windows XP or Mac OS X (www.netflix.com).

Netflix is one of several online DVD rental companies. There are many different subscription prices, so check the online rental websites for updated information at www.netflix.com, www.blockbuster.com, or www.lovefilm.com. The payments are monthly and you should be able to cancel at any time.