Gift giving can be tricky for anyone but when you’re buying for someone with a chronic illness it can be harder to know what they might find useful.
1 – Heat pads/ heated blanket
If the person you are buying for has any sort of pain linked to their condition or struggles with being cold, a heat pad or a heated blanket can be a really great way for them to ease some of the pain and protect themselves from the cold. Electric heat pads are even better because you don’t have to keep going to the microwave or boil the kettle to get heat, you just plug them in and off you go. Many of them have variable heat settings and safety cut offs to prevent over heating or burning.
2 – Comfy clothing
For many people with chronic illnesses, especially chronic pain or sensory issues, comfy clothing is such a blessing. This could be something small like some comfy/fluffy socks that don’t have cuffs or a cosy hoodie to wrap up warm with, anything that you’ve seen your loved one wearing that you could find a comfy version of. Clothing can actually be painful for some people with chronic illnesses and anything that makes it better is so appreciated, it’s also really comforting when you can just snuggle down in something comfortable and just relax.
3 – Fun mobility aids
If your loved one uses mobility aids then fun or luxury versions of those can be great gifts. I would always recommend asking before buying a mobility aid because preferences are so personal, but one way of doing it might be to take them shopping to get them a gift card for somewhere that sells mobility aids so they can choose what they think will work best for their needs.
4 – Skin care
Many chronic illnesses come hand in hand with chapped lips, itchy or irritated skin and dryness, once you have made sure your loved one doesn’t have any allergies, high quality and luxurious skin and lip care can be really nice as a gift. We get so busy taking care of our medical needs that we often forget to look after our other needs so getting something skin care related can encourage us to do other forms of self care and really look after ourselves.
5 – Cosy blankets
Similar to the comfy clothing, having a comfy blanket to snuggle up under when you’re feeling really unwell can be really comforting.
6 – Streaming service subscriptions/ gift cards
Being unwell a lot means lots of time in bed/on the couch with not very much to do. Having access to a good streaming service for movies/ tv shows can be really helpful. It helps to keep us occupied while promoting rest and relaxation. If your friend or loved one isn’t a bug movie lover then you could switch out a movie subscription for a music or audio book streaming service .
7 – Books
Another thing that comes with chronic illnesses is a lot of time waiting around in hospitals and doctors offices. If your friend or loved one is a book worm then a good book to dig into while they’re waiting around could be a great gift.
8 – Snacks
Easy to prepare and eat snacks that cater to any allergies your loved one may have are a great gift idea. One of the things I struggle with is having the energy to prepare food, usually by the time I have made my snack or meal, I don’t have any energy remaining to be able to actually enjoy eating. If I could have a never ending supply of easy to eat, low preparation snacks it would definitely encourage me to eat on those low motivation days.
9 – Fancy water cups/ bottles
Hydration is really important for everyone and many chronic illnesses actually make maintaining hydration more difficult. Many of us loose extra water due to symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhoea, or we deal with electrolyte imbalances due to the impact of our underlying conditions, so its really important we drink enough to keep us safe. Having an easy to grab and use water/drinks bottle to keep with us and keep topped up can really help with this, and who doesn’t love a swanky new drinks container?
10 – Chore coupons
For many with chronic illnesses basic chores become more difficult and sometimes even impossible. Chore coupons are a great way of offering help on the other persons terms, it allows them to choose the type of help they need on a particular day and they can ask for it in a non pressured way. It doesn’t have to be anything big, it could be something as simple as doing the dishes or walking the dog, or you could push the boat out and offer a deep clean if this is something you think they would both need and feel ok about. Our time is the most precious gift we can give someone and it will always be appreciated.
Chronic musician 