7 Valentine’s Gifts for Caregivers
Whether they’re a family member or someone hired to help out, caregivers give a lot of themselves every day to make sure that the senior in their care can live life safely and comfortably. When their efforts become part of a routine, it can be easy to forget to regularly show them how grateful you are. Holidays present a good opportunity to fix that. With Valentine’s Day just around the bend, consider investing in a gift to show your caregiver how much their work means to you.
Here are a few ideas they may appreciate.
1. A gift card to their favorite restaurant
You may need to do some sleuthing to find out which restaurants in town they love, but this gift provides them with the chance to affordably celebrate Valentine’s Day with a nice meal. You may be supplementing their plans with their romantic partner, or providing them with an excuse to celebrate all over again on another day. Either way, it’s a nice way to show you care.
2. Flowers and chocolates
Clichés exist for a reason. Flowers and chocolates are tried and true Valentine’s Day gifts that people keep giving because recipients like them. The flowers are something they can take home at the end of the day to brighten up their home, and the chocolates are a nice treat they can make last or eat all at once, whichever they prefer.
3. A massage
Caregiving is stressful. Many caregivers carry that stress around in their muscles and suffer from aches and pains due to it. A massage can help alleviate some of that.
4. A relevant subscription
A subscription’s a great gift, because it keeps on giving throughout the year. As with #1, this one requires doing some listening legwork to make sure you have an idea of what they like (in most cases, you’ll already have this figured out with your caregiver due to the amount of time you spend together). If you know they like reading, a magazine subscription could be a good fit. If you know they like to settle in to watch TV at the end of the day, give them a Netflix or Hulu subscription.
5. Gym membership
When you spend your days taking care of someone else, it can be hard to fit in time to take care of you. A gym membership is a way to make it a little easier on them to take care of themselves and stay healthy in the midst of the pressures of caregiving.
Not everyone will appreciate a gym membership as a gift – it may seem like you’re guilting them into doing something they’d rather not bother with. But for someone who wants to be healthier, it’s a great gift. As with all the other ideas on this list, if you’ve been paying attention to what your caregiver says about their concerns and desires, you should have a feel for whether or not this is something they’d want.
6. Something they need
Have you heard your caregiver complain about their blender breaking or the cost of groceries adding up? Gifts that fulfill desires are always nice, but gifts that take away the burden of a need will often be more appreciated. If you know there’s something specific your caregiver needs and has been struggling to buy for themselves, make Valentine’s Day your chance to take that worry off their shoulders.
7. A day off
Your caregiver is probably tired. A day to be lazy or enjoy time with other loved ones could be the greatest gift of all. If you can find other people to help you with the day-to-day tasks they often take care of, do so and give them the gift of time for themselves.
When the stress of caregiving starts to add up, the value of little demonstrations of gratitude and appreciation can make a big difference. Use what you know about your caregiver to provide them with a gift that matches their needs or desires. They’ll be able to have a better Valentine’s Day knowing how much you appreciate them.