Coming up with great gift ideas for your loved one is always a challenge. If that person is dealing with a chronic illness or disability, though, it can add an extra layer of confusion.
Before we get started looking at some great gifts for those with disability and major health concerns, I think it is important to remember one thing. Disabled and chronically ill people are exactly that – people. We want the same things everyone else wants, and when you buy us a gift, we want you to think of us as people instead of just a medical condition.
As such, I struggled with the idea of even sharing this list. However, as a chronically ill person myself, I think there are merits to sharing these ideas. I know personally, I would love to receive any of these gifts. Getting them would make me feel like someone I know truly understands and empathizes with me – and wanted to get me something nice that I would enjoy.
Still stuck on what to get your loved one? Here are tons of great gift ideas that you can tailor to their interests:
Delivery Services
During the last few years, the delivery service industry has boomed. If you had asked me when I first started dealing with chronic illness if a delivery service gift certificate or credit would be a great gift, I probably wouldn’t have even thought about it.
Now, though? Absolutely.
Food delivered straight to your door? Essentials like shampoo, toothpaste, and toilet paper brought straight to you? Medication delivered so you don’t have to visit the pharmacy? These are all conveniences that delivery service can give your loved one when you give them that gift.
Speaking from personal experience, someone sent me and my family a meal kit box once, and it was one of the nicest, most exciting things I have ever received. I would never have invested in the service for myself due to budget constraints, so having it arrive was really nice.
Subscription Boxes
Regardless of what your loved one is interested in, there is probably a monthly subscription box that caters to that interest. These boxes make great gift ideas!
From fun snacks and drinks to lifestyle products, there is something for everyone in today’s subscription box offerings. However, many people who have a chronic illness or disability hesitate to buy these kinds of fun things for themselves because they are on a tight budget. Having a disability or chronic illness can be very expensive!
If you really want to deliver joy this holiday season, consider buying your favorite people subscription boxes that cater to their interests or hobbies. There are boxes for every kind of person, from pet lovers to wine enthusiasts.
Some interesting boxes I’ve found online include:
- Clothing boxes
- Jewelry boxes
- Wine or craft beer subscriptions
- Specialty or global snack boxes
- Makeup and beauty boxes
- Skincare subscriptions
- Pet supply boxes
- Planner and scrapbooking supply subscriptions
- Home decor boxes, which are sometimes quarterly rather than monthly
I also recently learned about a monthly subscription that delivers “clues” to a person’s home and allows them to participate in solving a fictional murder case. For people like me who love true crime documentaries, this would be a dream come true!
If you don’t want to send a monthly box, consider paying for a year-long subscription to a magazine, digital product or service, or something else that your loved one would get lots of use and enjoyment out of.
Help Around the House
Some people don’t enjoy having strangers in their home. For me, it can be a serious source of stress – especially if I don’t know that it’s happening well in advance.
However, professional home services can be a huge help when you are unable to do those things yourself- and make fantastic gift ideas. Technically, I can clean my home. But it is exhausting and can cause me serious pain. If someone were to gift me with house cleaning services? That would be amazing.
Cleaning services are not the only thing you could hire someone for the holidays. Give them a gift certificate or the money to schedule one of the following, depending on their needs:
- Cooking or meal prep services
- Plumbing
- HVAC
- Home repairs
- Landscaping
- Other yard maintenance
Remember, check with your loved one about their needs first and do not schedule a service for their home without their knowledge or consent.
Adaptive Tools and Technology
When I think of adaptiv tools and technology, the first things that come to mind are my grabber tool and my mobility aids. These are both great examples of things that you could purchase for a loved one who has a disability or chronic illness – if they are okay with that.
Remember, some people feel uncomfortable either using adaptive tools or allowing other people to buy these items for them. Before purchasing adaptive equipment for someone you know, be sure that they are comfortable with the idea and don’t have specific needs or preferences that you might violate by doing so.
If you are looking for a way to surprise them with a thoughtful gift, consider investing in an app, program, or other technology that can help them with everyday life. They are less likely to be uncomfortable with something like this, and may not have thought of purchasing themselves a similar item.
This technology can range from low-vision assistive technology to apps dedicated to tracking pain and other symptoms. Often, these applications can be purchased with a one-time fee and covering that expense for someone you love would be a great way to make their coming year a little brighter.
Know exactly what your loved one needs? Go ahead and buy them that high-quality wrist brace, walker, specialty shoes, or cooking tools designed to make their lives easier. They’ll think of you every time they use it and enjoy it.
Comfort Items
When people ask me for holiday or birthday gift ideas for myself, I always respond with a short list of comfort items. Yes, I already have some of all of them – but I can never have enough.
My mother is also chronically ill, and she is the same way about gifts. Every year since I was a child, she asked my dad for new house shoes and nightgowns. I ask mine for pajamas and soft, fuzzy socks. I also love pillows and blankets.
What are good comfort items for those who spend a lot of time in bed, in the hospital, or seated? Here are a few for starters:
- Seat cushions
- Pillows
- Pillowcases
- Blankets and sheets
- Lap blankets or small throws for wheelchair use
- Pajamas and nightgowns without buttons or zippers
- Socks
- House shoes or slippers
- Robes
It’s all about being comfortable, and you can’t go wrong with items that can help other people stay that way!
Comfort items do not always have to be things like blankets and soft socks. If you spend most of your time at home, things like candles or wax melts, music or streaming services, and anything else that makes that space more pleasant is a great thing to receive.
Just for Fun
Everyone has hobbies. I guarantee that your disabled or chronically ill loved one does. Maybe they love birthwatching. Maybe they are really into old-school heavy metal. Maybe they love both!
In all seriousness, this goes back to the point from before of giving people gifts based on who they are and how you know them. I love getting a thoughtful, personal, and fun gift from someone who knows me well enough to give it to me.
I collect certain things. I also love to do my nails with press-on nails. I use a paper planner and cover it in stickers. None of those things are practical, exactly, but they are things I love and can never get enough of.
If your loved one has something they love – no matter how frivolous – consider getting them something just for fun. Life is already too serious. Enjoy the joy you can give someone with something simple, silly, and sweet.