On most days, caregivers don’t have the time or energy to
take care of everything that needs to be taken care of around the house. If the
caregiver has extra duties, like a second job, it can be even more difficult
for them.
Outsiders often don’t witness the brutal workload, stress
and problems they must cope with when taking care of a loved one. It more than
makes sense that gifts for caregivers are always welcomed.
These gift ideas will help you buy gifts that caregivers will
truly appreciate instead of gifts they can’t use or bring inside of the home.
The Best Gift Ideas for Caregivers for 2023
1. Inspirational Throw Blanket
Thank you gifts for caregivers are a great way to celebrate their strength and courage. Covered in inspiring words of support and healing, this luxuriously soft blanket will give them the soft embrace they need at times and a loving reminder that you care about them.
The custom fabric does not shed or shrink, making it a great gift because it doesn’t add to any extra housecleaning duties on their plate.
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2. Echo Dot
This innovative piece of technology is one of the best gifts for dementia caregivers that will make their lives better. The Echo Dot gives people with dementia conditions, like Alzheimer’s, someone else to talk to besides their caregiver, giving caregivers a break. It plays music, tells the weather and the time, looks information up and never gets tired of being asked any question.
The Echo can’t replace a caregiver, but it sure helps them out with their loved one.
Savings Tip: Get Office Depot promo codes for the best deal.
3. Prescription Wine Glasses
Sometimes lighthearted gifts are the best gifts for caregivers, especially when they happen to be one of your family members. You’ll show family caregivers you know how hard they work with these silly prescription wine glasses. Fit with an RX design, it is a way to remind them to take care of themselves.
Bringing these over to share juice or water would go a long way in lifting their spirits.
Savings Tip: Get eBay promo codes for the best deal.
4. Shiatsu Pillow Massager with Heat
Though not the same as a gift certificate to the spa, this pampering massage pillow will undoubtedly be appreciated just as much, if not more.
Ergonomically designed to contour to the body, its ability to sooth and relax the thighs, calves back and neck make it one of the more thoughtful gifts for caregivers. The perfect size makes it highly portable so caregivers can take it with them where ever they go.
Savings Tip: Enjoy Walmart promo codes for the best deal.
5. Face Planter
Crafts and hobbies make good gift ideas. If your caregiver enjoys drawing and having plants around, this novelty planter will delight them. The face of the planter has a built-in nose and ears to hold their glasses but it can also be drawn on with dry erase markers over and over again.
Plant a succulent that demands very little care and this awesome knickknack will be a hit for family caregivers.
Savings Tip: Find eBay promo codes for the best deal.
6. Blank Coupon Cards
Use these coupons as holiday gifts or thank you gifts for caregivers by filling in activities that can be redeemed from you and other family members, even if it’s a 30 minute break for a relaxing bath.
Especially perfect gifts for caregivers of the elderly and children, taking over some homecare duties once in a while will give caregivers in your life one of the best gifts: a free moment without stress or worry.
Savings Tip: Get eBay promo codes for the best deal.
7. Meditations for Caregivers Book by AARP
By combining day-to-day advice and meditations containing uplifting guidance, this is the perfect gift for hospice caregivers and family and nursing caregivers as well. The challenges of care giving like, time constraints, emotional overload, family conflicts and marital issues are just a few of the issues that this book helps caregivers address.
An indispensable book, it is a beautiful and meaningful gift for caregivers that offers the renewal and relief needed to continue their work.
Savings Tip: Find eBay deals and coupon codes to save the most.
8. Transportation Gift Card
Transportation can get expensive, especially if the caregiver does not have their own car. And even if they do, giving a free ride will help ease the costs associated with traveling to and from visits. Try an Uber or Lyft gift card to show your appreciation. Or you can offer to give them a ride a few times per week.
Savings Tip: Members of Giving Assistant can save money on first Lyft ride.
Tips for Getting the Best Gifts for Caregivers
Caregivers often have to think about problems that don’t
come across most people’s minds. Presenting them with a gift just because you
think they’d like it could result in the gift going unused.
To avoid getting gifts that come from the right place but do
more harm than good, here are gift ideas that they’ll love as well as others
that you should be more cautious about presenting.
Relaxing Gift Ideas
Caregivers don’t have much time to call their own, which is
why relaxing gifts that encourage self-care are usually a hit. Here are a few
more gift ideas to help them get some time back.
1. An experience
A gift card to their favorite restaurant, concert tickets or
a gift certificate for a luxury spa day are great holiday gifts. Make sure to
buy everything for two people and arrange for someone to take over caregiving
duties.
2. Their favorite movie, music, books or magazines
These items are relaxing and caregivers usually welcome them
with open arms.
3. Services
They don’t often have time to make complex meals or cook
their favorite dishes, so having meals delivered would be amazing. Similarly,
providing a grocery delivery, laundry or house cleaning services would be a big
help too.
4. Technology
Anything that helps make their job easier through technology
is welcome, such as the Echo Dot, robot vacuums that sweep and mop and
subscriptions to apps for meditation or calendar management.
Know Your Caregiver
It’s a good idea to know a little about your caregiver and who they are caring for. Some gifts for caregivers can’t be used due to the patient’s condition.
For example, a mirror is not a gift for caregivers of
Alzheimer’s patients because the patient may get upset seeing an image they
don’t recognize or can use it as a weapon if an angry outburst occurs.
Other items that may not be good caregiver gifts include:
1. Scented items like candles and perfume
Elderly people of those with respiratory disorders find
these items intolerable.
2. Collectibles or figurines
Caregivers may have no place to safely display these gifts.
3. Sharp items
Aggressive elderly people or children can use such items to possibly inflict harm.