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Updated November 20, 2021

People with chronic illness are just like anyone else — they have a variety of interests and passions that you can consider when planning a present. But choosing a gift that shows you understand and support their health challenges can mean so much. Here are 10 perfect gift ideas for your friend or family member who has a chronic illness.

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Pain toolbox

Does your friend live with chronic pain? Then a pain toolbox will be the perfect gift! Find a nice basket and fill it with things that can help them through a bad day. This can include a heating pad or hot pack, ice packs, anti-inflammatory cream, kinesiology tape, some nice teas and chocolates, a good book or movie, and a soft stuffed toy for comfort.

Plush sheets

Did you know that some brilliant person out there made plush — not flannel, plush — sheets? Me, neither. But it’s true. This is perfect for (let’s face it) anyone doesn’t like winter, but especially so for someone whose pain is aggravated by the cold. Available in a number of colours and sizes, giving your friend gift of warmth could make you a star.

Gift certificates

Gift certificates to a favourite store are always nice, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Remember those DIY gift certificates that kids will give their mom for specific chores that are then never actually completed? It’s like that, but with the extra benefit of follow-through. Include things like a drive to a doctor’s appointment, a freezer meal, a round of vacuuming or lawn mowing, a date with take-out and a good movie at their place (so they don’t have to leave the house), or maybe you have special skills, such as doing their taxes, cutting hair, or anything else. The sky is the limit! (more ideas here) Pro tip: don’t wait for your friend to ask for help. Instead, check in regularly with a suggestion for a specific date for redeeming a gift.

Food delivery

Mustering up the energy to cook a nourishing meal can be next to impossible when you chronic illness drains your energy. Luckily, there are many food delivery services that will ship ingredients for a delicious dinner directly to your door. Gifting one of these can save valuable time and energy for shopping and chopping and let them get straight to what is usually a quick cooking time. Note: if your friend has food allergies, this may not be the best option.

Subscription boxes

Let’s stick with boxes for a moment. You can get subscription boxes for anything under the sun — books, chocolate, deer, spices, and pretty much anything your friend might like. There are also subscription boxes specifically for people with chronic illness, containing items they might find useful. As a bonus, choosing this kind of box often means you’re supporting a small business owner who may also have a chronic illness One such box is the Spoonie Box from the UK, which ships internationally (not an affiliate link, but Chronic Christmas was part of their December box in 2019 and 2020 and I enjoyed seeing what else was in the box). PS a quick remidner to be careful with food delivery if your friend has food allergies or scent sensitivities — a box that is specifically say, nutfree, could be very appreciated.

Chronic Christmas

If your friend is already tearing their hair out with seasonal stress, give them their present early and make it my book Chronic Christmas: Surviving the Holidays with a Chronic Illness. This is an advent calendar of tips to get through the festive season (and ever any other event, really) with your health and happiness intact. Instead of crashing out for weeks at the end of it, it might actually help your friend enjoy the festivities. Also includes tips for what you, and others, can do to help. I did mention it’s got a brand-new audiobook version, right?

Weighted blanket

Weighted blankets are everywhere these days and for good reason. They can help,with anxiety and getting a better sleep through deep pressure therapy, which releases serotonin, which may help depression, maintain bone health, and more. Many people with chronic illness and pain find that a weighted blanket helps them sleep better and feel better emotionally, as well.

For the makeup maven

Makeup can be a fun way to do some self-care and distract yourself from bad days. I discovered myself just how fun it can be when I tried 30 different lipsticks in a month. Why not give your favourite makeup obsessed friend (or even vaguely interested, because they may become obsessed) a collection of lipsticks and a copy of my little The Ultimate Makeup Journal to track their experience?

Money

Living with chronic illnesses expensive. Even if you have health insurance or benefits, there are still tons of expenses that are not covered. A Visa gift card (or actual cash) can make a tremendous difference in someone’s ability to pay for medication, rent, groceries, or treatments that aren’t covered — think acupuncture, naturopathy, over-the-counter products, splints, and more, etc. And you don’t have to give them a fortune, every little bit helps

A massage

If you ever had a massage, you know what it can do for a sore body and an aching soul. The sense of touch plays a big role in our emotional health and when you live with pain, sometimes you don’t get touched very much. On top of that, the pain of chronic illness can feed upon itself, tension increasing the pain exponentially. A gift certificate for a visit to a massage therapist is a gift of bliss.

This is just a small sampling of what your friend or family member with chronic illness might love to receive. If you know them well, you probably have much better ideas. And if you’re drawing a blank. the gift of listening and a hug is always welcome.