Welcome to the 2020 Happy Healthy Caregiver Holiday Gift Guide. I’ve tried to make your shopping a little bit easier by curating some of the best and most unique gift ideas for the family caregivers and care recipients on your list. I can’t wait for you to explore the guide and discover new products, small businesses, and fabulous gifts.
You and I might be doing a little bit more online shopping this year, but we can certainly still support big brands along with small businesses.
I’ve organized the gift ideas into the following categories:
- Gifts that Keep Giving
- Practical Gifts for Older Adults
- Practical Gifts for Caregivers
- Budget Friendly & Fun
- Free Gifts
- Ideas for Giving Tuesday
My hope is that you discover a few unique gifts and some great deals in this year’s guide.
Let’s do some shopping!
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. When you click on a product and choose to purchase it, I receive a small thank you from Amazon or another partner which helps reimburse me for my business expenses. There is no additional cost to you.
Gifts that keep giving
This category is all about gifts which sprinkle joy throughout the year. Whether it’s an activity which can be done throughout the year or a surprise box of fun, you will get lots of mileage out of the gifts in this category.
One of mom’s favorite gifts was the grapefruit monthly fruit club box from Hale Groves. She enjoyed a half of grapefruit every morning with her breakfast. I can still hear the ‘mmm’ she would say after every bite. Join their email list and you’ll get 10% off your order.
Another one of mom’s favorite gifts was a digital photo frame like this one from Skylight. I’m adding this to the gifts that keep giving section because as the year unfolds, you can continue to email the frame fresh photos. My mom used to watch her frame like it was a TV. It was also easily transportable to take to a long term hospital or rehab stay. When she was in an assisted living community, it provided a wonderful way for the staff to connect with my mom on a personal level. As the photos came up, a story about a family member or a memory she had would be shared.
I recently wrote about a new concierge service for family caregivers called Hank. You can use this service to auto-schedule local favorite restaurant deliveries, groceries, or transportation services for your care recipient. Hank offers a split payment feature which allows family caregivers, siblings, and care recipients the ability to split the costs of any task. Through 2021, Hank is offering the Happy Healthy Caregiver community a FREE 3-month Hank Subscription (a $60 value)!
While the Just for You: A Daily Self-Care Journal I wrote was designed with family caregivers in mind, this fun journal makes a great gift for anyone on your list who deserves a bit of time for themselves each day. Each copy you order through my website is signed. Order by December 12th so I can be sure to have it in your hands in time for Christmas. Order one for yourself so you can start the New Year off with some intentional self care. On sale for 20% less than regular price now through 12/31/20.
Practical gifts for older adults
Our loved ones can’t be kept safe enough during this pandemic and winter flu season. Nozin, a nasal antiseptic, is a product my family has been using when we fly, are in medical buildings or anywhere there are groups of people. This safe sanitizer for your nose which was listed as one of Newsweek’s Best Infection Products of 2020 is easy to use and smells great! Use code CURA15 to save 15%.
WellBe by HandsFree Health is a practical gift that keeps on giving and it’s currently $20 off the full price. This virtual health assistant smart speaker is a tangible gift for the care recipient and offers a peace of mind gift for the caregiver. WellBe makes life easier for caregivers by allowing you to set up medication and appointment reminders and sending you text alerts if either is missed. It also provides health answers and companionship to your loved one when you are unable to be there.
I love LifeStation’s newest product, Luxury, because it affords security to a loved one without sacrificing elegance. Pressing the button on the back of this beautiful medical alert necklace contacts a monitoring center when your loved one needs help. A great gift idea for the older adults who may have avoided a traditional device because they didn’t want the stigma of others seeing them wear it. The necklace pairs via Bluetooth with the mobile device which can be kept in a purse or bag. Luxury will be available starting 12/3/2020.
Make it easier and more enjoyable for your loved ones with limited mobility and strength to get in and out of the car. This product was invented by a family caregiver, who was featured in one of our Caregiver Spotlight episodes on the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast. Katherine named her invention after her mom. The Ruby Slipper Car Seat Cover has a unique sliding action that makes car travel easier on both the care recipient and the caregiver. Check out this video to see it in action. Use HHC10 to save 10% at checkout.
Pria is a voice-enabled tabletop robot and home healthcare assistant that that employs a HIPAA- compliant platform and mobile app to provide caregivers real-time insight into their loved ones’ wellbeing and adherence to medication therapy. Not only does Pria manage, schedule and dispense medication, it also includes a variety of features that make it easier than ever to stay connected to loved ones at any time, from anywhere. Checkout my product review post on Pria. Pria is regularly priced at $299.99 and with our promo code HAPPYHEALTHY50 you can save $50 off the device. Also, the device is $75 off on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Sapphire Essentials offers a line of CBD products created by a gerontologist and formulated for active seniors and older adults. They offer oils, balms, softgels, cooling gels, and recovery drink mixes. They also have dog chews for your loved ones active or anxiety prone pooch. Their products are made in the USA with only domestic and organically grown CBD plants and are 100% THC-Free.
Depend and CVS are partnering up to offer extra special savings on Depend Silhouette briefs for women. The Depend Silhouette Variety Pack is currently on sale for $10 for two 4-count packs. From December 6th through the 12th, take advantage of even more savings by using the $5.00 off two pack digital coupon on CVS.com or on the CVS app.
I’m intrigued! Walking while seated! This could be the perfect gift for you or your family members to exercise safely and independently. The miniTREAD is a compact motorized treadmill style device that’s used while sitting at a desk or while watching TV. Check out the Onthemuv website for more details. Enter code LAUNCH for $100 off and free shipping through 11/30/2020.
Practical gifts for caregivers
We’re partnering up with CaringBoost to help boost caregiving confidence all year long. Check out these special holiday bundles which pair a CaringBoost unlimited access subscription with our popular Happy Healthy Caregiver products. Caregiver training and self care wrapped up together makes a great gift!
Whether you are a current caregiver who needs a flexible income stream now or a caregiver who wants to create a rewarding career after caregiving ends, the Care Years Training Academy certification courses may be the right fit. This is where I got my Certified Caregiving Consultant (CCC) certification over four years ago and helped me build the confidence I needed to launch my caregiving business. Training programs begin at $699.
Life in Motion is a guided workbook to help a family caregiver get their loved ones’ affairs in order (or their own!) The easy-to-use binder has all the forms, checklists, and inventory sheets you need to consolidate and record health, household, property, and final wishes details. Use the code Caregiver15 at checkout for 15% off the hardcover version.
One of my favorite caregiving books is on sale now through 12/31/20. Juggling career, eldercare, kids and every thing else is a lot! The Working Daughter book has practical strategies for the working caregiver. Purchase it from the publisher’s website to receive 35% off for the holiday season with code HOLIDAY20.
This was the very first caregiving book I read. One of the greatest gifts you can give any caregiver is the knowledge they are not alone. That’s where the book, The Dutiful Daughter’s Guide to Caregiving comes in. Place your order with free shipping in the US; let them know it’s a gift and who to send it to, and they’ll do the rest. A beautifully wrapped book, personal note, and card acknowledging you, as the giver, will go out in the mail. We can also send it directly to you for personal giving. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for postal delivery.
Budget Friendly and Fun!
Self-Care Kits created by the No Barriers Caregiver program are unique in that all the gifts inside are made by caregivers for caregivers (along with some No Barriers swag). When you buy a kit, you are not only taking the time and permission to invest in someone you love, but you are giving back to family caregivers to earn an income and find a purpose and vision outside of their caregiving role. There are two kits: one for $25 and one for $50 The option to donate kits to caregivers who can’t afford one is also available.
Timeless Dream Events created a Self-Care Christmas Box that was created for family caregivers. Each gift was handpicked by a family caregiver and also supports small businesses. The recipient will smell the goodies before the box is even opened. With a value of $70, this box contains everything needed for a home spa day. Use code CAREGIVER for $5 off to send this as a gift or just Treat Yo Self.
Want to get a little crafty but have some help? Pickup a fun jar or container and order the Caregiver Jar Inserts which has over 150 inspirational quotes and affirmational sayings for family caregivers. Feel free to add some of your own handwritten notes of encouragement to your homemade gift to personalize it even more.
All the women in my family enjoy jigsaw puzzles. Puzzlebilities offers custom made puzzles and gifts for puzzle lovers. And, now they are offering a new product called a Sensory Jigsaw Puzzle for just $19.99. These puzzles would be a great gift for someone with a cognitive disorder since they have 48 colorful pieces, a unique sensory touch, and smell wonderful!
Looking for the words to express your appreciation for the professional caregivers who provide you extra hands? Senior Shower Project offers dozens of greeting card designs to help you show caregivers some love. Receive 20% off your caregiver cards when you use promo code HHC2020 before 12/13/2020.
FREE gifts
Complimentary care coaching for family caregivers is still happening for a limited time in the free CareBirds smartphone app. Create a ‘Nest’ for each care recipient and add each member of the care team to the Nest so you can divide and conquer on the appointments and tasks. Use the group chat and update features in the CareBirds app to improve communication.
A 10 hour playlist of holiday tunes! Access ‘My Holiday’ playlist or start listening below.
Offer your time to help someone. Offer to mow their yard, walk their dog, do the grocery shopping, decorate for the holiday, prepare a meal, help with technology issues, or better organize a space in their home.
Ideas for Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is always the Tuesday after Cyber Monday. It’s a day set aside for global generosity and encourages people to do some good. Instead of shopping and wrapping little gifts for all my book club girlfriends, I make a donation in our book club’s name. Here are some of the caregiving related organizations you may want to consider giving to this year:
AlzAuthors is a community of dementia and Alzheimer’s authors who offer a website and podcast to support dementia caregivers. Donations help pay for the web maintenance, marketing, and traveling library.
The No Barriers Caregiver Program offers free resources for family caregivers, including respite retreats and a private non-judgmental facebook group. Select the ‘Care for Caregivers’ category when you choose to donate.
Donate to the Bob and Diane Fund to help offer the long running grant for visual journalists exploring the disease of dementia.
If you donate to any charity or organization, check to see if your employer or partner’s employer will match your gift.
