This post is part 2 of our 3 part gift guide series.
I’m a stickler for celebrating one holiday at a time. The transition from Halloween straight into Christmas and New Years really irks me. But there’s two things that get me early every year – holiday shopping and Starbucks holiday beverages.
I can count on one hand the number of Starbucks beverages I drink in a year. I’m not a huge latte, mocha, or frappe person. I like my regular coffee. But I love to let myself indulge a bit for the caramel brulee latte and peppermint mocha. I can only remain so strong!
As we inch closer to Thanksgiving (truly my favorite holiday. I’m a sucker for mashed potatoes!), I’m excited to share part two of our gift guides, this time for our care recipients.
Thoughtfully choosing items that I know the gift recipient will enjoy and use brings me so much joy. and if I can also make the care recipients life a little easier – even better.
Which is why I’m excited to share these gift ideas. Gifts don’t have to be expensive or extravagant to be impactful.
As a reminder, this month, I’ll be sharing three sets of gift guides:
- Gifts for the Caregiver
- Gifts for the Care Recipient
- Gifts for caregivers & Care Recipients to enjoy together
(note: gift guides contain affiliate links. When you shop through the links, we earn a small commission, but there’s no extra charge for you. Thanks for supporting Caregiver Collaborative and helping us continue to bring you great content all year long!)
Gifts for Care Recipients can be tricky. When thinking about what to get my dad each year, I try to find balance between gifts that I know he’ll enjoy and gifts that will make his life a little easier (and therefore, make my life a little easier). In selecting items for this guide, I also tried to think of things that could be given to recipients of various needs.
Since most of my caregiving experience is for someone who just needs a few accommodations to make their favorite activities a little easier, I mostly included ideas that fit for folks with similar needs.
That said, I’m aware this might not work for everyone. Hopefully it at least inspires your gift giving! And, if you’re stuck and need some help or are looking for a link for specific item, you can always reach out to us for some extra personal help. We’d love to help you shop for the perfect gift!
8 Gifts to Bring Joy to Care Recipients
For the Tech Savvy Recipient
If the one you’re caregiving is tech savvy, consider getting them one of these great smart home additions.
The Google Nest Doorbell is great if your loved one is into tech, security, wants to see who is at the door before getting up, or just needs a few extra minutes to get there. We have these at my house, and I find it so helpful to be able to turn on the microphone if I need to tell someone that I’m on my way or that the door is already open.
Amazon Echo Show – not only is the Echo Show fun, it’s very practical. We have a similar product to this, and I love being able to set calendar reminders, add things to my grocery list, control other smart devices, play music, and show off photos all through one device.
For the Recipient Who’s Always on the Go
Just because your recipient needs some extra help doesn’t mean they can’t still enjoy the things they love – including attending their favorite events or travelling. It also doesn’t meant hey should have to sacrifice products that are attractive while still being functional.
This cute pill organizer would be great for your loved one who wants to keep their meds organized without sacrificing style.
Cooling towels are the best. So many people living with chronic illness have trouble regulating their body temperature. Getting too hot (or too cold) can stand in the way of them being able to attend sporting events, go on vacation, or just enjoy their own backyards. Tossing these towels in the freezer when they’re damp can be a really great way to help keep cool so they can still enjoy the things they love. They also work for lots of other purposes – roll them up to help assist in moving a leg that’s decided not to work today, use them on a yoga mat, toss them in the car for emergencies, or use them to clean up a mess.
For the Chef
For many care recipients, being able to maintain independence is key. For some folks, daily tasks like cooking can become challenging quickly. There’s so many great adaptive ways to allow recipients to still cook, feed themselves, and clean. I’m grateful that if my dad ever needs those products, there’s a lot of options and they’re largely priced well. But for some recipients, like my dad, they just need a little extra help. For these folks, I love the OXO products. They make so much stuff that can make prep and cooking easy while still providing a little extra grip from larger handles and silicone materials, to making canisters that open with the push of a button.
Here’s two great products. I promise you’ll fall in love with the OXO products just like I have.
We already mentioned care recipients who may want to maintain their independence as long as possible. For a lot of folks, the bathroom is another area that can feel overwhelming to address. Depending on the person, the idea of needing full adaptive equipment or permanent changes can feel like too much – or just be too expensive.
If your care recipient could use a spot to balance or sit in the shower, but isn’t ready for a full medical-grade shower chair, these bamboo shower benches can add a little piece of mind while still looking attractive.
For an added touch, candles can add ambience to any bathroom, and will help your self-care king or queen take their relaxation to the next level.
Caregiver, we know that finding the perfect gift for the ones you care for can be tough. Balancing their needs with the things that bring them joy isn’t always easy – but we’re here to help. If you’re having a hard time or looking for a specific link, don’t be afraid to reach out!
Check back next week for our final guide, gifts for you to enjoy together!
