8 Health-Focused Holiday Gifts For The Sick Or Shut In
8 Health-Focused Holiday Gifts For Ailing Loved Ones
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‘Tia the season for ripping and running but that may not be the case for an ailing loved one who is bedridden from an illness or recovering from surgery. Being sick and shut in due to illness is disappointing year-round, but it can be particularly tough during the holidays. According to a survey by Value Penguin, many Americans say they’re experiencing loneliness this holiday season. That feeling is only amplified when a sickness or injury is keeping someone from participating in holiday traditions.
If someone you care for is not well, show them that they’re on your mind with a thoughtful gift. The right present can remind them that someone cares and they have a support system, and even help alleviate some of their discomforts during sickness and recovery. Certain gifts can also make managing an ongoing condition. Here are eight thoughtful, health-focused holiday gifts for ailing loved ones.
Blood Pressure Machine
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People with conditions that require regular blood pressure testing such as heart disease or high blood pressure can greatly benefit from a home blood pressure machine. Testing one’s blood pressure regularly is a good way to track whether or not medication and lifestyle changes are working. It also helps a patient establish their baseline blood pressure in a non-medical setting since sometimes the nerves surrounding doctors’ visits can cause a person’s blood pressure to spike.
Travel Insulin Cooler
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Diabetics depend on insulin to manage their blood pressure and health. But insulin must be kept cold, which poses a complication for diabetics who travel often. This cooling insulin thermos can keep medication cold for up to 72 hours. It provides three methods for cooling, including a USB-chargeable chamber and bio-gel cooling packs. This thermos is also useful for individuals suffering from arthritis or Crohn’s disease who need to keep injections chilled.
Air Purifier
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Clean air is good for everyone, but it’s especially important for sick individuals. The United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends that doctors encourage patients to remove pollutants and allergens from their home. An air purifier can keep your loved one’s environment free of allergens and other irritants, helping them breathe easier. This is also a thoughtful gift for someone who suffers from asthma.
Ostomy Clothing
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Life after a colostomy can be a challenging and a major adjustment. Colostomy patients must live with an ostomy bag attached to their bodies for waste expulsion. This makes dressing comfortably and fashionably difficult. The Ostomy Clothing Company makes clothing and accessories that allow colostomy patients discretion around their stoma (the opening in their abdomen) while still looking stylish.
Heated Physiotherapy Massager
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People who struggle with arthritis or are recovering from an injury will greatly appreciate this gift. This machine uses a combination of infrared heat and vibration massage to soothe muscle and joint pain. It has an adjustable temperature setting and an auto shutoff timer of 30 minutes. Paired with physical therapy, this machine can be part of a holistic approach to recovering from an injury as well as relieving arthritis pain and is one of the most thoughtful health-focused holiday gifts to give someone with muscle pain.
Mastectomy Seatbelt Cushion
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Following a mastectomy, car rides can be very uncomfortable, as the seatbelt pushes against the sensitive post-op tissue. One breast cancer survivor needed something to relieve this pain for herself and so she created the patented Chest Buddy Seatbelt Cushion. This simple but brilliant product wraps around the upper part of the seatbelt, creating a soft, padded surface for a woman’s post-op chest to rest against.
Smart Pillbox
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If a loved one has to take several medications per day, keeping up with the schedule and getting the dosage right isn’t always easy. Luckily, the recent invention of smart pill boxes addresses this issue. These boxes – often battery-powered or rechargeable – can do things like light up when it’s time to take a pill, send an alert to a caretaker if a dosage was missed, and sync up to the user’s phone to track medication usage. This one from the Digital Health Store, uses LED lights and an alarm to guide you to the correct compartment and syncs up to your smartphone to help you track a medication schedule.
A Housekeeping Service
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When someone is sick, simple tasks like brushing their hair and getting dressed are tough enough. Cleaning their house is out of the question. But a clean home can boost morale, so hire a housekeeping service to tidy up your loved one’s home. Some holiday gifts come in the form of a service, rather than something tangible. A quality housekeeping service can also remove dust and other particles that can be irritating to someone with asthma and similar respiratory conditions.
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