Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for CaregiversMother's Day Gift Ideas for Caregivers

Mothers are often tasked with the job of taking care of everyone – their partner, their kids, their own parents, and anyone else’s kids that happen to be around. Whether or not your caregiver is also a mother, the day we celebrate people who take on the job of giving so much of themselves to others is a good day to show your caregiver you appreciate the work they do.

The best gift you can give your caregiver is something you know they want, so if you already have an idea of something they like doing or have been trying to save up for, ignore this list and go buy them that. If you’re struggling to figure out a gift idea, then one of these ideas may work for you.

1. Flowers

Flowers are a common and traditional gift idea for a reason: they’re beautiful. The recipient gets to enjoy their beauty for as long as they last and they serve as a symbol of thoughtfulness and appreciation. When Mother’s Day is approaching every florist and grocery store will be well stocked, so you should have plenty of bouquets to choose from. If you know your caregiver has a favorite flower or particular color they like, then hone in on the flowers most likely to please them.

2. A day off

Objects are nice, but the best gift you can provide to someone who’s busy and exhausted is time for themselves. If you find someone else to fill in with the caregiving tasks for a day, then you can give them back some time to do whatever’s most relaxing and enjoyable for them on Mother’s Day. If you have a hired caregiver, make sure it’s a paid day off. Whether it’s a family member or employee, consider sweetening the deal a bit with something like a spa day or massage. Some caregivers will simply want a day with their own kids or some time on the couch though, so avoid giving them something that feels like another commitment they have to meet.

3. Help with a chore or needed task

When you’re busy taking care of someone else most of the time, your own to-dos have a tendency to grow. What can you help your caregiver with (or hire someone to help with) that will take a nagging chore off their shoulders? Maybe you can hire someone to mow their lawn, or offer to take care of their groceries this week. Similar to number two, if you can help check an item off their to do list, that will give them back some of the time and energy they sorely need and may be worth more to them than an expensive gift.

4. A gym membership or home exercise equipment

One of the hardest things to maintain when you’re using a lot of your energy to care for someone else is your own health. If you can find a way to make staying healthy easier on your caregiver, either with a gym membership to somewhere close by or maybe even home exercise equipment, then you can help them do something for themselves that will pay off for the rest of their lives. Staying active provides health benefits that will make their lives easier and help them avoid many of the common diseases and health problems that strike seniors.

5. Hire a house cleaner

Does your caregiver put effort into helping keep your house or room clean? Can you imagine doing that for someone else regularly and then having to go home to do it in your own home as well? It’s enough to make anyone feel exhausted and overwhelmed. Research the housekeeping services in your town or ask around to see if friends have a house cleaner they like.  Give them a gift certificate for a few free cleanings or offer to hire someone to come periodically for a period of time you feel comfortable affording. Few people have the energy to keep multiple homes clean (unless that’s their chosen profession), so this is a gift that’s sure to be appreciated.

6. Gift certificate for the theater

When was the last time your caregiver spent a night out at a movie or play? Give them a gift certificate to something cultural and fun they can do. A night away from their own responsibilities, simply focused on the entertaining stories of the lives of others can be a nice antidote to stress. If you have an inkling of what kind of activities they prefer, then make sure your gift certificate matches how they like to spend their free time.

7. Their favorite dessert

This one’s a bit simpler than some of the other ideas, but may be a good pick if you have limited funds to work with, but want to do something personal. Do you know what dessert your caregiver requests every year for special occasions? If not, can you do some sleuthing to find out? If you can get a hold of a recipe for a dessert you know they love, it can be a nice surprise when they show up to help out and see something delicious awaiting them.

Mother’s Day doesn’t just have to be about mothers, and it certainly doesn’t just have to be about our own mothers. If someone’s doing the work of taking care of you, then it’s a good opportunity to show them appreciation for what they do.

Kristen Hicks is an Austin-based copywriter and lifelong student with an ongoing curiousity to learn and explore new things. She turns that interest to researching and exploring subjects helpful to seniors and their families for SeniorAdvisor.com.

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