Useful and Practical Gift Ideas for Your Loved Ones

Choosing the perfect gift for a loved one can be difficult. I’ve learned that useful gifts often make a great choice as they not only convey your love but also serve a practical purpose in the recipient’s life. After getting such great feedback on this list of useful and practical gifts last year, I decided to update it and put it out again. Whether it be a comfort item like a cozy blanket or a practical gadget like a jar opener, these gift ideas would be great for the holidays and beyond. In fact, I own many of these myself and use them all the time to make my life easier. Some of these presents will aid those in need of pain relief and memory care, while others help with the loss of fine motor skills or vision.

Useful Gift Ideas for Loved Ones

Grabber Reacher Tool

This 32″ grabber is perfect for reaching for something dropped on the floor or sitting on a high shelf in a cabinet! My husband is a foot taller than me and often puts things on shelves I would need a ladder to reach!

Cup Holder for Walker or Wheelchair

If your loved one uses a walker or wheelchair to get around, they probably don’t have any way to transport a drink with them to the store, doctor’s office, etc. The design of this product keeps the cup upright and in place.

Weighted Heating Pad

Allow your loved one to experience the gift of pain relief with this weighted heating pad that targets the back, neck, and shoulders. The hands-free design allows it to be worn while watching TV, reading, playing cards, etc.

Super Fat Pen for Arthritis, Pack of 5

This super fat pen is easy to hold and helps arthritic hands write with ease!

Long Handled Shoe Horn

This long-handled shoe horn is a great dressing aid for those with decreased mobility and the inability to bend over easily to put on their shoes and socks.

Adjustable 4pcs Orthopedic Bed Wedge Pillow Set

This wedge set is wonderful for those recovering from surgery or those who suffer from aches and pains. No matter if you want to sleep, read, or just watch TV more comfortably, you will feel the wonders of a natural upright spine alignment on your tight neck, lower back, or hips.

Able Life Auto Cane

This handle provides the user with stability and balance when standing or sitting from the car. It is compatible with most vehicles and perfect for anyone injured or needing mobility assistance to help them easily maneuver in and out of cars without assistance.

Gel Enhanced Seat Cushion

This comfortable gel cushion supports recovery from lower back problems, herniated discs, tailbone injuries, sciatica, and other spinal issues. Add it to the car seat, recliner, kitchen chair, etc., for comfort and pain relief wherever your loved one may be. I use one in the car when we take long road trips.

Jar Opener

This tool helps arthritis sufferers to open their jars and bottles. The design has multiple sizes so that it can open a variety of jars and bottle shapes. I’ve needed to use a jar opener for many years because of arthritis in my hands.

Height Adjustable Side Sleeping Pillow

Help prevent ear pain and pressure with this neck pillow designed to be a side sleeping pillow. It features ear holes to relieve pressure throughout the night and can also be helpful for CPAP users.

Xpand No Tie Shoelace System

Transform any shoe into a slip-on with this no-tie shoelace system! This keeps your aging loved one from bending and twisting to put on and tie their shoes. This one has my husband’s name all over it 🙂

Window Bird Feeder with Suction Cups

Let your senior family member or friend watch their feathered friends up close & personal with these clear bird feeders for windows! It mounts perfectly to any clean window, providing a close & unobstructed view. This would also be wonderful for someone in an assisted living facility.

LED 3x Page Magnifier

This would be a great gift for those who love to do crosswords, read the paper, bible, etc., but strain to see small print! Even with my glasses, I often need more help, especially with the back of bottles and some beauty products. Tip-If at a store, I’ll take a photo of the label with my phone and enlarge it so I can read what it says.

Microwaveable Therapy Mittens

This gift is for those with hand problems like stiff joints, arthritis, carpal tunnel, etc. Count me in on this issue. These PhysioNatural mittens warmed in the microwave will help relax stiff muscles and relieve the pain associated with the above problems. I own these, and they are great for my stiff, sore hands 🙂

CouchCoaster

Imagine you’re all curled up with a book and your favorite cup of tea, but you have to get out of your comfortable position every few minutes to reach for a sip from your mug. I can think of a few places in my home where I could use one of these couch coasters! They come in a variety of shades, so I would recommend choosing the one that would blend with your piece of furniture the most. This is going in someone’s Christmas stocking in our house 🙂

Slice Utility

Sofa Armrest Organizer

In a similar vein, this sofa armrest organizer is such a great gift idea. There’s nothing more frustrating than losing your phone or remote down in between the couch cushions or having to balance all of your things on the arm of your recliner. It’s available in 30+ different shades, as well as a few different sizes, so you can select the one that will fit your loved one’s couch the best.

Flipper Big Button Universal TV Remote

I think we can all agree that remotes have too many darn buttons, haha. For an individual with impaired vision or decreased fine motor skills, it can be impossible to select and press the right button. This big-button universal TV remote is the perfect solution!

Eyeglasses Strap

If you need reading glasses, you know how frustrating it can be to keep up with them. Whether you’re out and about reading price tags and restaurant menus, or at home checking a text or following a recipe, this strap keeps your eyeglasses close by and handy all day long. Plus, it comes in several different chain styles, metals, and colors. I’ve seen many women wearing them with the sunglasses on this trip!

Button Hook with Zipper Pull

Fastening buttons and pulling zippers are two more tasks that can grow increasingly difficult in life, especially with arthritic fingers! This handy tool helps you to get your clothing fastened pretty quickly.

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What helpful tool could you add to this list?