10 Best Holiday Gifts for Caregivers

10 Best Holiday Gifts for Caregivers - MalaysiaCaregiving Support

10 Best Holiday Gifts for Caregivers

Looking to treat the caregiver or penjaga in your life this holiday season? To help you express your gratitude, here’s a list of practical gifts that will bring joy to caregivers year-round.

Christmas is here and it is a festive season when most people practise the giving of gifts. It is an act of love and joy, to appreciate the people around us. In this article, we will take a look at what are some of the best holiday gifts for caregivers.

What Do Caregivers Do

Firstly, here is a brief look at what caregivers do. Usually, caregivers extend help for the health and well-being of an elderly person, although in some cases, caregiving may be carried out for other age groups. The common duties may include assisting in their personal hygiene, cooking, managing medications and helping with medical appointments. Nonetheless, it depends on an individual basis.

A caregiver is generally expected to:

  • Assess medical needs(checking on pain levels, medical appointments or communicating with the healthcare provider)
  • Following a care plan(and adjusting it when needed)
  • Assist basic needs(eating, bathing, grooming – these activities may be difficult at times, especially if there are signs and changes to the senior)
  • Provide company and fellowship(extended feelings of loneliness in elderly persons can lead to serious health consequences)
  • Prepare meals(to ensure proper nutrition and food intake)
  • Assist with mobility(fall risk in the elderly is higher and significantly detrimental, fall prevention is crucial for a senior’s health)
  • Provide transport(to bring the senior to and fro places, or accompany in a taxi – taking a bus or driving may not be as suitable)

Overall, caregivers are dedicated in helping their assigned person, to the best of their abilities.

10 Best Holiday Gifts for Caregivers

With the holidays coming up, it is a season of gifts, in various forms. As a general rule, thank-you gifts for your caregiver can be made more suitable based on the following factors:

  • A gift that matches their personality(Are they more of an indoor or outdoor person?)
  • Knowing their favourite colour, things, or food
  • Avoiding their allergies and/or knowing their dietary preferences
  • Strongly consider self-care gifts as they deserve to be pampered in return due to their job of caring for others

Here are the top 10 gifts to consider for your caregiver:

A voucher/gift card to their favourite restaurant

Most restaurants or outlets offer vouchers or gift cards for patrons. Find out what is your caregiver’s dietary preference or favourite food and proceed with purchasing the gift card in-store or online. It can also be a gift card for a dessert shop or cafe.

Diffuser and oils set

Caregiving can be a stressful task at times. Why not gift them a diffuser and essential oils set? Certain essential oils can help you to relax andimprove a night’s sleep. Examples would be lavender oil for anxiety reduction, chamomile oil for a calming effect, peppermint oil to ease seasonal allergies, and eucalyptus oil for relaxation and sinus-clearing properties.

Personalised baked goods

Most bakeries and shops will have special Christmas goods or menus during the festive season. Gifting a box full of baked goods could bring a bundle of joy to your caregiver. You could also consider baking or cooking a Christmas special. Some examples of Christmas goods would be chocolate chip cookies, pudding, gingerbread and more.

Tickets to a seasonal even

Does your caregiver like Christmas shows or musicals? The entertainment industry is often filled to the brim with such activities. For instance, one of the world’s best-loved musicals, the Sound of Music, is running in Malaysia. They have been performing since early December.Tickets are still available for end-December, so you would not be too late to consider this as a gift.

Gifting flowers

Flowers are usually a decent gift for most people regardless of gender. You can pick out a bouquet to express gratitude.Here are some flowers that mean thank you, in various ways:

  • Hydrangeas – carry the flora meaning of thanking someone who supported you through a tough time
  • Camellia – to show gratitude(flower types native to China and Japan)
  • Iris – can be gifted to show the depth of one’s appreciation and gratitude
  • Orchid – a gift of gratitude and respect

Book a massage session

Consider a massage session for your caregiver. Being a caregiver can be a physically taxing job and this may result in tensed muscles and a stressed system. Treat your care to a professional massage so that they can truly enjoy their day off. However, as some people may not be comfortable with massages, you may want to check in with them first.

Supporting their hobbies

Your caregivers might have shared with you their hobbies or interest during your conversations. It could be one that is related to sports, arts, or others. This Christmas, make it special by purchasing an item or session that can enrich their interest. ASkillshare membershipis run on a per-year basis, allowing the users to learn from various fields online such as culinary, gaming, languages and design. This can be done from the convenience of their home or when they are out and about.

Bonus cash

Most people like to have a little extra in their pockets for the holiday season. If you are not sure what to get, money is a simple yet widely appreciated gesture by most people.

Words of gratitude

Caregivers often go above and beyond to meet the need and interests of your loved ones. A heartfelt thank you note or word of encouragement can give the carers great comfort in knowing that their services are being appreciated. Write down how the caregivers have helped you and your family in times of need and acknowledge their strengths in a Christmas Card.

Contribute to a cause

Perhaps there is a specific cause or illness that your caregiver is interested in. You can consider purchasing gifts or items from organisations that support the said cause. For example, here are examples ofgifts that give back to the community:

  • Santan x Bingka collaboration – help support local communities’ livelihood, such as refugees, homemakers, and more.
  • Dignity for Children goods – assist in providing quality education for youths, along with training for B40 and migrant communities
  • Kantoi gifts – help to aid in feeding the marginalised groups, more so during worsened pandemic times
  • Cuci Ceria Project – assist in providing work and income to refugees and B40 women
  • The Batik Boutique crafts – continue to assist in the training of women from low-income backgrounds to produce crafts and items for sale

Final Note

Albeit your good intentions to give your caregiver something this Christmas, take the step to double check or familiarise yourself with caregiver policies. There may be instances where the caregiver cannot accept certain types of gifts in some situations(e.g. nursing homes). Then, this may only allow tips, gifts or treats to be split equally among the group of caregivers. It is vital to check if there is any infringement on ethical or professional conduct, should they receive such gifts. It would only be a pity for both parties if the gesture is wasted, or cause trouble with their management. Last but not least, assess your caregiver’s comfort level to receive the gesture that you have in mind. References

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