Practical Gift Ideas for Someone with Chronic Illness

I hope this list of practical gifts for chronic illness is a helpful guide, whether you’re looking for Christmas, birthday, or “just because” gift suggestions. I’m also sharing four tips for choosing practical gifts for chronic illness. 

My health conditions include fibromyalgia, POTS (a form of dysautonomia), myalgic encephalomyelitis (aka chronic fatigue syndrome), and asthma. I know that it can be challenging to know what will be helpful for those of us dealing with limitations due to our health, especially those of us with a lot of allergies. I’m sharing some things I’ve found particularly helpful, things I’ve been gifted, and things on my wishlist. (You can read more about my health journey here.)

Before we dive into gift suggestions, here are helpful tips for gift giving to keep in mind when your recipient has chronic health conditions.

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4 Tips for Choosing a Gift for Someone with Chronic Illness

1. Ask if there is something they need.

First, find out if there’s something that will help them that they’ve been wanting to purchase. Chronic illness is expensive, and your loved one might need something that they haven’t been able to afford yet. It will mean a lot that you took the time to find out if there’s something that can help them.

2. Ask if there is something they want.

Again, with the cost of medication and treatment, your loved one might have wanted something but worried about the expense, or felt guilty at the idea of spending on something fun when their health costs could go up.

3. Ask if you can run a gift idea past them.

Chronic illness comes with a lot of allergies, from food, to fragrance, to materials. And items you use frequently may be too difficult for them to use, whether because of pain, light sensitivity, fatigue, etc.

If you see something on this list, or any gift guide, that you think will be a good fit, see if your friend wants to know what you’re thinking of gifting them. They’ll no doubt appreciate you asking first to make sure you get them something that won’t cause a reaction or prove impossible for them to use.

4. Ask a loved one.

If you really want to surprise the recipient without asking about gifts, you could always asked one of their loved ones if your proposed gift will be a good fit. My friends have texted my mom an idea or photo of a gift to see if it’s something I would like or use—and most importantly, making sure it’s something that won’t trigger an asthma attack. Since my mom knows me and my allergies well enough, she can give them an accurate answer. My family always appreciates this thoughtfulness.

 

Practical Gifts For Chronic Illness

When someone asks what’s on my wishlist, sometimes I forget I can ask for useful things. When I pause, I realize there are things that aren’t traditional “gifts” that would benefit my health.

Thinking about helpful things I use frequently, or would use frequently, led me to create this list of practical gifts for chronic illness.

Here are some gift ideas that make life easier with chronic illness.

 

Under Armour water bottle

The perfect waterbottle to keep by my bed or in my purse, and it doesn’t hurt my hands to open to drink. The lid pops up easily with the push of a button, which makes this bottle much easier than others to use. This water bottle also has a lock (again, easy to use) which keeps it from spilling. The spout on the bottle is wider than a straw, which is still easy to drink from and easier to clean than a straw.

This model comes in multiple colors. There is also a stainless steel option that looks similar.

 

A longer phone cord

Why are phone cords so freakishly short? Because of this longer cord, I can use my phone while its plugged in, whether I’m sitting on my bed or lying in my recliner. (The link is for apple products and measures 6 feet)

A phone stand
I find that when I’m using my phone, my hands start to cramp and get tired. Having a phone stand so that my hands can rest is so helpful. This could be a helpful tool for anyone (my parents and brother frequently use theirs), especially for people with muscle or joint conditions.
I also use my phone stand when I’m on video calls so I can be hands-free.

They also make a larger tablet holder.

PS Speaking of video calls, here are my ideas for games and activities for virtual holiday celebrations.

 

Phone charger battery

Our phones are our lifelines, and it’s a good idea to have a backup charger in case of power outages. This is the product my family has.

 

A unique blanket

I appreciate anything that helps me keep warm. I love that this mermaid blanket is both whimsical and practical, and the friend who got it for me took the time to find a blanket that is so “me.” I also have a handmade tie blanket that my friends made from fleece (see an example here) and blankets my mom sewed, and they all get frequent use.

This blanket is acrylic and cotton and comes in multiple colors as well as adult and kid sizes.

 

Smaller baking tools

I love baking, and I’m looking forward to the day I can do more of it. These smaller baking pans are lighter and easier for me to lift in and out of the oven. My family loves USA brand because they’re made in America and high quality.

Here are the smaller cooling racks too, which are much easier to wash.

 

Desk for a chair or couch

This desk looks like it would work well at a bed, recliner, or couch. I’m hoping to try a desk that I can use at my recliner since I have to lie down so much, and this looks like it would make it easy to use a laptop or phone or work on a coloring book.

 

Pedal exerciser (bike alternative)

I had been lamenting the fact that stationary bikes are supposed to be a great way to be able to exercise with dysautonomia and other health conditions, but there is just no room for such a large piece of equipment in my house. Then I learned they made these small pedal bikes that you can use with a chair! I checked with my physical therapist before trying this and she agreed this could be a great tool for me. I’ve used mine a few times (briefly—I’m going to go slowly and see what I can work up to, per my PT) and I’m really looking forward to using my “bike” this winter and seeing how it helps me. I’m sure a lot of people don’t realize these exist, so I wanted to include this as a gift option.

(This is one item on the list I would definitely check with the recipient first, especially since new exercise/treatment should be discussed with a doctor first.)

Kindle (or e-reader of choice)

I love my Kindle 7! I check out books for free at the library and can buy and download books without having to go to a store. Features like being able to adjust the size of the font, listen to audiobooks, and prop up the ereader for easier use make this a great way to enjoy books.

My Kindle is the perfect size for me, but if you’re looking for something bigger (especially for watching movies) you can check out the Fire HD 8 tablet or Fire HD 10 Tablet.

 

 

I’d love to hear if these gift-giving tips are helpful for you!
For my readers with chronic illness, what other tips would you add?
What other products would make practical gifts for chronic illness?

 

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out these posts:

• Gift Guide Based On Your Chronically Ill Friend’s Love Language—Picking a gift based on someone’s love language helps them to feel seen and understood. These ideas are tailored toward people with health conditions.
• Low-Cost Low-Stress Gift Giving When You’re Chronically Ill—meaningful and thoughtful gifts that are easy on your energy and wallet.
• 10 of My Favorite Health Products—More ideas that would make useful stocking stuffers or gifts.

Note: This blog post is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. I am not a health care provider, and what I share is based on my personal experiences.  Always talk to your doctor when making changes to your treatment or before trying something new.

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