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Are you looking for great gifts for people with Parkinson’s disease?
Shopping for birthday presents or holiday gifts is very difficult, especially when you want to give your loved ones something practical or meaningful.
So, check my amazing list of ideas and you’re bound to find a great gift for your family or friends.
Let’s start with my top 5 favorites, then read on for the entire list.
READ MORE: 75th Birthday Theme Ideas
Table of Contents
Gifts for People with Parkinson’s Disease Top Picks at a Glance
- Weighted Utensils for Tremors and Parkinson’s Patients
- Weighted Gloves
- Weighted Pens
- Coloring Books
- Foot Massager
15 Great Gifts for People with Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease affects the motor system, causing tremors, slow movement, and muscle stiffness. Non-motor symptoms, such as depression and sleep problems, are also common.
As such, it can be a bit tricky to find the right gift for a loved one with Parkinson’s. After all, you don’t want to give them something they’ll struggle to use.
But that’s why we’re here with our fantastic list of gift ideas for people with Parkinson’s disease.
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1. Weighted Utensils for Tremors and Parkinson’s Patients
Tremors are a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease, and they can make something so simple as eating a meal a struggle. That’s why stabilizing utensils for Parkinson’s are such a useful gift.
Made of rust-proof stainless steel, these adaptive utensils look like ordinary silverware to save you the embarrassment and come with a canvas travel bag for convenience.
Each piece weighs at least 7 oz to decrease tremors and keep your hands steady. The spoon is also deep to prevent spilling.
READ MORE: What Foods to Eat With Parkinson’s Disease
2. Electric Heated Blanket Throw
Besides wondering how to eat with Parkinson’s disease, many patients struggle with sensitivity to cold, especially in the winter months.
As such, an oversized heated throw can be an excellent holiday gift. They are soft, stylish, and can have six different heating levels. Plus some of them automatically shut off after four hours for added safety.
3. Weighted Gloves
Weighted gloves are used for training and workouts, but they can also come in handy for people with Parkinson’s. They can minimize tremors and stabilize the hands.
Check out this video for other great weighted gloves.
4. Non-Slip Grip Socks
Non-slip socks are a great Parkinson’s friendly gift, especially for elderly people who have balance problems and can’t wear slippers.
Anti-skid socks are soft, breathable, and machine-washable. They’re also perfect for various activities, such as yoga, pilates, exercise, dancing, or rehabilitation.
Best of all, they’re unisex and are available in several colors and sizes to suit a wide range of people.
5. Kindle Paperwhite
Holding a book and flipping through the pages can be exhausting for a person with Parkinson’s. As such, a Kindle is an excellent gift idea.
The Kindle Paperwhite is light, easy to use, and waterproof. It also has a built-in light to make reading easy and plenty of other accessibility features. The bundle also includes a leather cover and a power adapter.
You may also want to consider the upgraded version of the Kindle Scribe that has a digital notebook and pen that enables you to write on. It converts handwritten notes to text and is worth considering if you want to write a journal, sketch, take notes, or jot down your thoughts or a to-do list. It also enables you to email the converted notes to yourself or your contacts. You can also use items like the weighted holder with vinyl grip but you will need to check it will fit around the Scribe premium pen.
6. Slip-on Shoes
When you deal with slowness of movement daily, lacing your shoes becomes an ordeal.
But you can make it easy for your friend/loved one with these classic slip-on shoes by Vans. They are made of canvas with breathable lining to ensure the user’s comfort.
Best of all, these slip-on shoes are available in several sizes and colors to suit anyone’s taste.
7. Weighted Pens
At first glance, pens don’t seem like a suitable gift for people with Parkinson’s disease. But weighted pens decrease hand tremors and improve micrographia (cramped handwriting).
The American Parkinson Disease Association suggests an Occupational Therapist can assist people with Parkinson’s disease with multiple handwriting strategies including the use of adaptive equipment, practicing specific exercises, utilizing hand strengthening techniques, and employing proper body positioning while writing.
There are many different types of weighted or ergonomic pens that can assist including PenAgain’s ergonomic pen design and this set of weighted pens features high-quality black ink, a smooth-rolling pen tip, and a beautiful storage box.
8. Satin Sheets
Due to rigid muscles, many patients with Parkinson’s have trouble turning in bed, affecting their quality of sleep and overall health.
But satin sheets can make it easy to get comfortable at night, relieve muscle pain, reduce sleep disturbance, and make it easier to turn over in bed.
For people that may not be a big fan of satin sheets, we recently discovered a new product called the Wondersheet and Wonder Plus, a combination of Glossy Charmeuse satin and 50/50 polyester/cotton blend. This is an Australian company that ships internationally. The WonderPlus sheet has a satin panel is in the middle of the sheet on the bed and is 35.4″ long and 6.6″ away from each side of the sheet. The satin panel has been inserted into the sheet so that people can turn over easily in bed.
9. Coloring Books
Children aren’t the only ones who benefit from painting and drawing. Art therapy is great for improving motor coordination, self-esteem, and cognitive function.
As such, simple coloring books are a great gift for people with Parkinson’s disease. You can also use items like the weighted holder with vinyl grip with your colour pencils or marker penss to assist with the tremors. Other items that may assist include a slant board to lean on and a non-slip mat so the book doesn’t move when coloring in.
10. Puzzle Books
And puzzle books can keep anyone engaged for hours with its variety of word, math, and picture puzzles.
11. A Therapy Lamp
A therapy light lamp can help with low energy levels, sleep disorders, and mood swings. It’s a great way for people with Parkinson’s to take better care of themselves and ease seasonal depression as it mimics outdoor light.
We recommend a portable therapy lamp since it’s light, adjustable, and versatile with three brightness levels and a timer.
12. Foot Massager
A 2020 scoping review of research articles provided evidence that showed that mechanical foot sensory stimulation (e.g. textured insoles to medical devices) is a valid intervention for improving clinical symptoms particularly relating to walking in people with Parkinson’s disease.
There’s nothing better for muscle stiffness than a foot massager. The scoping review referred to above identifies that many organs benefit from the stimulation including the brain, heart and muscles. Some foot massagers feature adjustable speed, wireless remote control, and an easy-to-read display.
13. A Parkinson’s Disease Journal
As specialists explain, “a weekly or monthly Parkinson’s diary can be very helpful in understanding how you are affected over a period of time.” Parkinson’s Europe suggest a paper or digital diary to track your symptoms so you can inform your doctor or your health care team is very important and can lead to changes in medication dosages or the introduction of additional assistance.
We recommend a journal as a gift because it includes symptom/pain tracking pages, inspiring prompts, and exercises.
14. Smartwatch/Fitness Tracker
Smartwatches or trackers are great gifts for people with Parkinson’s disease since they monitor heart rate, oxygen levels, blood pressure, and sleep patterns.
They can also remind you to take medication on time and track your activities throughout the day.
Aside from the broad range of smartwatches existing in the market, there is also the Parkinson’s smartwatch that reminds you to take your medication when it is due and tracks your symptoms against when you took it. This can confirm if the dosage is correct. It also has a host of other functions.
15. Streaming Service Subscription/ Gift Cards
Another Parkinson’s-friendly gift is a subscription to a streaming service, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu.
Alternatively, you can also opt for a gift card or gift certificate if you don’t want to risk getting your loved one something they may not like.
FAQs
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder, the result of dopamine-producing brain cells dying. It manifests with “resting tremor, bradykinesia, and muscular rigidity.” There’s no cure for it, only supportive treatment options to improve quality of life.
What to Look for in a Gift for Someone With Parkinson’s Disease?
In general, any products that assist mobility, encourage movement or soothe sensitivities can be great gifts for people with Parkinson’s disease.
Are Puzzles Good for Parkinson’s Disease?
Puzzles are great for Parkinson’s because they stimulate the brain, encourage you to use your problem-solving abilities, and improve finger coordination.
Conclusion
It’s not that hard to shop for people with Parkinson’s when you know a little bit more about the disorder.
And these useful gifts for people with Parkinson’s disease can help your loved one lead a productive life.
References
- DeMaagd, George, and Ashok Philip. 2015. “Parkinson’s Disease and Its Management: Part 1: Disease Entity, Risk Factors, Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation, and Diagnosis.” P & T : A Peer-Reviewed Journal for Formulary Management 40 (8): 504–32. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4517533/.
- Parkinson’s Europe “Health care and hospital stay – Keeping a Parkinson’s Diary.” https://parkinsonseurope.org/i-have-parkinsons/self-help-and-living-well/healthcare-and-hospital-stays/
- Lucy. 2015. “Pen Helps Handwriting of Parkinson’s Patients – the Pen Company Blog.” The Pen Company Blog. April 7, 2015. https://www.thepencompany.com/blog/news/pen-helps-parkinsons-patients/.
What do you think about our list of 15 great gifts for people with Parkinson’s disease? Which one is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
