Five Gift Ideas for Caregivers
As a caregiver, I know first hand that it can be hard to ask for help, even when I could really use it. Like most caregivers, I don’t want to burden others. The thing is, people want to help but they might not know how to, exactly.
Instead of telling a caregiver, “Let me know what I can do for you,” take the thinking out of it for them and make it a little easier by offering them (or surprising them) with some specific ideas. Tell them you insist and that you won’t take no for an answer. Sometimes that’s the only way a stubborn caregiver like myself will let you help!
Update 11.10.20 – Once you’re done with this list, we’ve now got five more caregiver gift ideas. Click HERE for that list!
1. House Cleaning Service
Caregivers often put cleaning on the back burner in order to ensure their loved one gets the best care possible. Depending on the needs of the patient, cleaning can seem like a daunting task on top of everything else.
Give a caregiver a break by scheduling a few hours of house cleaning for them. If that’s out of your budget, gather up a few friends and arrange a time to go over and clean yourselves. Caregiver or not, who wouldn’t want someone else to clean for a change?!Â
2. Meals
Cooking is something else that can become overwhelming for a caregiver. A lot of caregivers put themselves last and can end up making quick and easy meals as opposed to healthy and hearty ones. A great idea to help ease the burden of caregiving is to provide a meal or two.
Of course a home cooked meal is always great, but it might not be feasible considering your own schedule. Luckily, we live in a modern age and there are many food delivery options out there as well. It could be as simple as ordering pizza or Chinese to be delivered.
Sites like GrubHub , DoorDash® and UberEats deliver from almost any restaurant, anywhere. We live in a metro area where there are several gourmet delivery companies as well. Try a Google search for ‘meal delivery services’ for some results in your area. Lots of options for meal prep help, and a guaranteed hit of a gift for a caregiver.
3. Help With Errands
Ask if there are any errands you can run to help out. Again, caregivers are often the type to be shy about asking for help so it might take more than the first ask.
If they decline the first time around, let them know the places you’ll be going to run your own errands. Ask if there’s anything you can pick them up from those places. As a caregiver, I’m much more willing to take you up on that, versus asking you to go somewhere extra.
One thing that really helps us is when friends pick up our groceries for us. Our local Kroger offers their ClickList service which means the groceries are ordered online. They are then picked up in the parking lot, with the order ready to go. Grocery shopping is a great errand to have completed for a caregiver.
4. Offer Respite Care
Respite is defined as “a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.” Depending on the needs of the patient and your comfort level with them, another valuable gift a caregiver can receive is some time for themselves. Offer to stay with the patient and be the caregiver for awhile, allowing the caregiver step away for a bit. Even an hour can make a huge difference, especially for a full time caregiver!
This option requires some familiarity with the patient and their medical requirements. Ensure that everyone is on the same page and has a high comfort level for the regular care, as well as in the event of an emergency.
5. Self Care Gifts
A gift certificate for a massage or a day at the spa is perfect for a caregiver who doesn’t have the time, or can’t seem to make the time to care for themselves. For most caregivers, self care comes last. A gift of relaxation often encourages them to take some time out for themselves.
If that’s too much, put together a little self care package for them, with items such as aromatherapy bath bombs or oils, facial masks, cooling eye masks, exfoliate, along with scented candles and some good lotion. Anything you can think of that might encourage a caregiver to take some time out to slow down and relax, even if just for one long, hot bath!
Hopefully these spark some ideas for the perfect gift for that special caregiver in your life.
Jen
Update 11/10/20 – Just added! Five MORE gift ideas for the caregiver in your life. Click HERE for that list!
