Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Loved One with Parkinson’s

Christmas is just around the corner. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are even sooner. For your convenience, I have made a list — and checked it twice — of perfect gift ideas for your favorite person with Parkinson’s disease (PD). 

• A reacher/grabber bar: Many disabilities limit mobility, so bending over to pick something up can be especially challenging. An aluminum reacher/grabber bar promotes independence in your loved one as they won’t need to ask for help to retrieve dropped items.
• A terry cloth bathrobe: Any bathrobe would be nice, but I specify terry cloth because it is like a bath towel. The robe can be worn immediately after a shower, and by the time they brush their teeth and brush or dry their hair, they are ready to get dressed. It’s also nice to have a warm robe to wear on cold evenings.
• An herbal neck wrap: This type of wrap works wonders on stiff necks. It is super simple to make if you like crafts.
• A Nook or Kindle reader: Fine motor skills, such as page-turning, are challenging for those with Parkinson’s. A touch screen for reading may help. Why not add a gift certificate to cover their first book purchase?
• A manicure: Personal care tasks such as blow-drying hair and taking care of nails become more difficult as the disease progresses. Why not give your loved one a voucher for a professional manicure? A basic treatment is not too pricey and often includes a hand massage.
• A smart cane: If you seek peace of mind, the Dring Smart Cane alerts caregivers of falls.

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Following are more practical gift ideas:

• Chapstick (a good stocking filler)
• slipper socks with treads to prevent slips and falls
• hand warmer
• stress balls or hand exercisers
• gloves, winter hat, and neck scarf
• electric mattress pad, blanket, or throw
• heating pad
• at-home foot spa
• gel sole shoe inserts
• neck pillow
• night lights
• purifying salt lamp
• essential oil diffuser
• humidifier
• postage stamps and notecards
• movie voucher
• ice cream or lunch gift certificates
• gift certificates for dance, voice, or other PD-specific “exercise” classes
• a Rock Steady Boxing membership
• lap tray or desk
• wheelchair tray or pocket bag
• weighted eating utensils
• puzzle books or brain teaser puzzles
• colored pencils and adult coloring books
• Roomba robot vacuum

These are just some of my ideas for Christmas gifts for your loved ones. I’d love to hear your suggestions.

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Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.