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19 Fantastic Gifts for Brain Injury Patients That Foster Recovery
Medically reviewed by
Barbara Brewer, COTA
— written by Flint Rehab.
Last updated on November 12, 2020
If you’re wondering what to get for your loved one with a brain injury this holiday season, then look no further. Below is our list of the best gifts for brain injury that help with recovery. (All links are non-affiliate.) It covers a variety of price ranges so there’s something for everyone.
Stocking Stuffer Gifts for Brain Injury Patients
Sometimes you don’t need a serious gift but still want to give something thoughtful to your loved one. For those moments, consider these smaller gifts for brain injury patients:
1. Chinese Meditation Balls (Baoding Balls)
These metal balls are small and light enough to hold in one hand. They are used to improve finger dexterity and motor skills, which is crucial after brain injury. They also are great for stress relief!
Shop for Chinese Meditation Balls on Amazon »
2. Essential Oils
Essential oils may relieve depression, reduce stress, and promote cognitive function after brain injury. There are several essential oils for brain injury, but the most effective is lavender, which has many proven therapeutic qualities.
Shop lavender essential oils »
3. Books
There are many great options when it comes to books for brain injury patients and their families. You can look for personal survivor stories, such as Over My Head, the story of a doctor’s stunning recovery from brain injury. You can also look for practical books or workbooks to help stimulate cognitive recovery. It all depends on what your loved one would prefer or benefit from.
Shop brain injury recovery books on Amazon »
4. Adult Coloring Book
An adult coloring book can provide another way to help your loved one reduce their stress. It also is beneficial for improving visual processing and fine motor skills. Don’t forget to also give them something to color with, such as colored pencils or markers.
Shop for adult coloring books from Barnes and Noble »
5. Pill Sorters
A pillbox sorter may be a helpful gift for brain injury patients, especially if your loved one struggles with memory problems, or has to take multiple medications per day. The pill sorter can provide simple visual organization for which pills to take at what time, and help them know whether or not they have already taken them.
Find pill sorters from Pill Thing
6. Water Bottle with Measurements
Staying hydrated is crucial to help promote healing after brain injury. This water bottle comes with a schedule of how much water intake you should have by a certain time of day, so your loved one can always stay on top of their hydration.
Shop for water bottles from Amazon »
Premium Gifts for Brain Injury Patients
Living with a brain injury can get expensive, especially during recovery. You can help your loved one by giving them a gift they might not be able to afford for themselves.
Below are some great, premium gifts for the brain injury survivor in your life.
7. Book Holders
If your loved one struggles to hold books, a book holder can be a great gift to be comfortable while reading. There are many options and price ranges for mood, metal, and plastic book holders.
Shop for wooden book holders on Etsy »
8. Hair Dryer Holder
This is another gift to help your loved one style their hair. The hair dryer holder mounts to the wall, allowing the person to brush their hair with two hands without having to worry about also holding a heavy blow dryer.
Shop for hair dryer holders on Amazon »
9. MusicGlove
If your loved one has impaired hand movement after brain injury, it may take time for them to regain function on their own. But there are tools to help patients speed up their recovery.
MusicGlove is a hand exercise device from Flint Rehab that combines music and gaming for an immersive rehab experience. It is clinically proven to improve hand strength and dexterity within two weeks. The device works by motivating users to perform hundreds of exercises, which engages the brain’s neuroplasticity and helps it restore function.
All this makes MusicGlove a great gift option for TBI survivors.
Shop for MusicGlove from Flint Rehab »
10. Noise-Cancelling Headphones
To help your loved one with brain injury avoid sensory overload, consider giving them noise-canceling headphones this holiday season. These headphones may help the person fall asleep at night, and can also be useful when loud environments are unavoidable.
Shop for noise-canceling headphones from Best Buy »
11. Weighted Blanket
Anxiety is a common problem after TBI. Weighted blankets make an excellent gift for brain injury patients. Weighted blankets offer users “deep touch pressure” which produces a feeling of safety and comfort through increased sensation throughout the body and may promote better sleep.
Shop sustainable weighted blankets from Bearaby »
12. FitMi Home Therapy
FitMi is designed to help brain injury patients improve their mobility at home. It targets multiple muscle groups, including the arms, legs, and torso, making it ideal for TBI survivors with significant motor impairments.
The device encourages high repetition of exercises, which, like MusicGlove, activates neuroplasticity and helps the brain rewire itself faster. That’s one of the reasons why patients who use FitMi see so many improvements, as the reviews demonstrate.
13. Meal Delivery Subscription
Getting the right nutrients after brain injury is crucial and promotes healing. Healthy eating can sometime also be expensive. To help your loved one have the best chance at recovery, consider gifting them a subscription to meal delivery service, such as HelloFresh. You should choose dishes that include the best foods for brain injury to make sure they get all the fuel they need to help their brain heal.
Find meal plans from HelloFresh »
14. Adaptive Utensils
If you get your loved one a meal service, you might also want to get them adaptive utensils. There are utensils that decrease hand tremors and provide stability for use of the spoon or fork and to prevent spillage. There are also utensils with large handles and straps that may provide improved grip.
Find adaptive utensils from LiftWare »
15. TENS Unit (Electrical Stimulation)
An electrical stimulation machine may improve muscle function and relieve pain in brain injury patients. In fact, multiple studies have shown that using electrical stimulation in conjunction with exercise leads to greater improvements than just exercise alone.
If you opt for this gift, make sure your loved one gets guidance from his or her therapist before using the machine so that they know how to safely use it and where to place the electrode pads.
Shop electrical stimulation devices on Amazon »
16. Virtual Reality System
Not all brain injury patients can use VR, because it may exacerbate their dizziness and nausea. But for those who can use it, a virtual-reality system makes an awesome gift for brain injury patients. People who use VR and other video games after brain injury see a significant boost in their cognitive and motor skills, including “attention abilities, emotional awareness, and balance.”
17. Automatic Shut-off Appliances
Automatic shut-off appliances can make a safe difference in the life of a brain injury survivor because they allow people with memory problems to live safely on their own. The appliance will automatically shut off after a set time, which eliminates fire hazards and other safety issues. You can purchase automatic stove turn-off products, automatic shut-off crock pots, and even automatic shut-off coffee makers.
Find automatic shut-off appliances from Overstock.com »
18. “Calm” Subscription
“Calm” is a meditation app that helps people fall asleep or simply relax through soothing stories and guided meditations. Perfect for the TBI survivor who struggles with anxiety or insomnia.
Check out different subscriptions to Calm from their website »
19. Alexa and Google Home Devices
Image from Amazon.com
Virtual assistants like Alexa or Google Home can give brain injury patients more independence in their home. These devices can be programmed to turn on the lights, turn on the TV, play soothing music, and give reminders, such as when to take medications. They can even order groceries! An excellent gift option for brain injury patients who could just use a little extra help.
Find Alexa devices from Amazon »
We hope this list helps you find the perfect gift for your loved one with brain injury.
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Time with a speech therapist is extremely valuable during recovery, especially if you struggle with communication, critical thinking, or memory after brain injury. Insurance typically covers speech therapy for a fixed amount of time. But once it’s over, recovery is in your hands.
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