The holiday season is almost upon us. With Black Friday in less than a week and Cyber Monday a little over a week away, I figured now is a good time to go over some ideas that I have for gifts for disabled people or for people with chronic illnesses. I have affiliate links to some products throughout the post and if you buy through the link, that will help support this blog through the coming year.
On The Go Accessories
Many on the go accessories can be great stocking stuffers or gifts as they help people manage their needs when they leave the house. Many of them are small enough to fit in a purse or bag which makes it possible to take them almost everywhere.
Pill Case: https://amzn.to/3gfreDQ
I like to have medication on hand in case I need it. Whether it’s my anti-seizure medication, pain medication, or a daily medication I might need to take while out and about, I like to have my medication in a simple little container that I can take with me.
Ear plugs: https://amzn.to/3hMI3GV or https://amzn.to/3X5Eiwf
While I have and use the vibe ear plugs, I’ve heard great things about the loop ear plugs. Both ear plugs filter out sounds so that we are less likely to be bothered by some of our sensory triggers. They come in a cute little case and can be slipped into a pocket or purse easily, so when you end up somewhere loud, you can turn the volume down on life a bit.
Face masks: https://amzn.to/3gbJfTO
While a lot of the world acts as if the pandemic is over, people with disabilities may still feel the effects of the pandemic. Many doctor’s offices require masks and some people have compromised immune systems which make going out without a mask very risky. I’ve found these masks to be a high-quality mask that help me as I go out and about and replenishing someone’s supply can help a lot.
Locator: https://amzn.to/3OcEt56 or https://amzn.to/3GkqJ6m
As someone with ADHD, I misplace things a lot. Something that is currently on my wishlist is some air tags. I want to use them to help me keep track of my mobility aids and my bags. Before the air tag came out, I used tile religiously to keep track of my planner, my bags, and other things that I seemed to misplace all the time. Being able to make an object make sound when you misplace it can help someone not spend loads of energy on finding that object later.
Grabber: https://amzn.to/3E3BKpC
Many of us in wheelchairs or using walkers can use some help to grab things from high or low vantage points. A grabber is a great tool to help us not need to bend over as often or to pick up things we otherwise would struggle to get.
Home Helpers
I know I spend a significant amount of time at home these days in a very limited amount of space. While I try to get out and walk my dog or just spend time in the sun, I still want to make my space as fitting for me as I can, so it’s a place I enjoy being.
Headphones: https://amzn.to/3Gj20zb or https://amzn.to/3Ebowax or https://amzn.to/3V252Ma
Having a solid set of headphones to use when you live with a disability is important. For me, I have issues with over the ear headphones on my ears for long periods as I get overheated. My earbuds let me cancel out noise, ground myself with music, or enjoy whatever I want without worrying about others around me. While I’m still using the Momentum TW2 Sennheiser earbuds, I’m hoping early into the new year to transition to the AirPods Pro 2nd generation.
Batteries: https://amzn.to/3g9Ndfq
There seem to be a lot of gadgets we have with disabilities that want batteries. I know that I have my blood pressure cuff that wants batteries along with some of my home accessories, like my mouse. Having a solid set of rechargeable batteries can save us money and time in the long run as we don’t have to pay to replace batteries as often.
Cable Management: https://amzn.to/3E9EXnF or https://amzn.to/3UW5s6W
I have coordination issues. My medication adds to my coordination issues. I know I’m not alone in this. The last thing I need is to trip on cords or have to fumble with them. Like with the AirPods Pro 2nd generation, I’m hoping to get the Anker charging station at the start of the new year. It will be a handy little tool to help me charge my devices without worrying about fumbling with cords. With devices where wireless charging may not be possible, an excellent alternative is to have a magnetic cable organizer so that you can keep the cord out of the way but still have them accessible when you need it.
Organizers
With my chronic illnesses and my ADHD, organization is a challenge I need to keep on top of. Between tracking health stats, keeping on top of my business, or just being a good mom to my kid, I have things that need to be kept track of in order for me to really get the most out of it.
Digital Planner: https://re346.isrefer.com/go/Planner/missgeekbunny or https://www.happydownloads.net/product/digital-planner-notebook/?ref=writermissyo or https://www.etsy.com/shop/LiveMinimalPlanners?ref=usf_2020§ion_id=25337570 or RWRD.IO/1MBYH60?C
I live by my digital planner and have a wishlist full of stickers. These planners make great gifts at the end of the year because they help you get ready to start the new year off right. The new year brings a reset where you can keep track of things you’ve forgotten, get a handle on organizing your life, or improve your situation. If you are like me and want to stock up on stickers from Happy Downloads, you can get a bit of savings by using my coupon code missgeekbunny. It will give 10% off your entire order. If you are new to digital planning and want to get an insight into how I use my planner, check out my twitch stream or my Instagram, where I plan sometimes.
Fitness Tracker: https://amzn.to/3UW1jQo or https://amzn.to/3g6yFxj
If it isn’t clear by now, I live in the Apple ecosystem because it provides a lot of benefits. One of those benefits is Siri, which I can use on my watch along with my other devices. But the reason I separate out a fitness tracker is that of the health information you can get from them. I use my Apple Watch to check my heart rate, keep track of my sleep, and keep track of my medications. I get notified when my health trends are off and I can passively collect data to see trends which lets me do things besides managing my health.
Wall Organization: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/skadis-pegboard-combination-s89406365/
Having things work for us is vital when you are managing your spoons. As a result, I’ve found that having storage on the wall near where I am allows me to get to things I need but also keeps them out of the way when I’m not using it. It also helps keeps things visible so that I don’t forget about them. Overall, it’s a tool I really like.
Those are some of my ideas for gift ideas. While many are based on my personal wishlist, I think many of the ideas on this list would apply to other spoonies. Is there something you are hoping to get from this list? Can you think of something I forgot? Let me know in the comments below.