# Christmas Gifts for an Invalid **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 7, 2017, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956 "2017-04-07T05:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/1 "2017-04-07T05:09:16Z")
Having missed Christmas in the US this year, I will be giving out my gifts at Easter. One of my sisters-in-law will soon be undergoing long and hazardous brain surgery. Frankly she is scared. The recover period will be long. What ought I to get her? I thought one of those electronic photo frames would be nice. Would some fancy head scarves be creepy? Any other ideas? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/2 "2017-04-07T07:04:57Z")
**Moderator Action** This is more opinion than factual, so let’s move it over to IMHO (from GQ). ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/3 "2017-04-07T08:22:04Z")
Hard to say without knowing the individual. Talking books perhaps in a genre she likes. Maybe something totally unrelated but feminine like expensive perfume? ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/4 "2017-04-07T08:23:38Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Having missed Christmas in the US this year, I will be giving out my gifts at Easter. One of my sisters-in-law will soon be undergoing long and hazardous brain surgery. Frankly she is scared. The recover period will be long. > > What ought I to get her? > > I thought one of those electronic photo frames would be nice. Would some fancy head scarves be creepy? > > Any other ideas? Does she have help with the household (how big)? A delivery Service for Food, or a cleaning Lady once a week could help freeing up time and energy to deal with the Family instead of things. (Or it might be an unwelcome Intrusion - People are different). Will she get Rehabilitation afterwards? Otherwise, a day at the spa with the whole Family? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/5 "2017-04-07T08:28:20Z")
She “will have to learn to walk again,” due to damage to her sense of balance. She is looking at ten day in the hospital recover ward. Active in the church and with a large adult family in town, food and babysitting ought not to be an issue. (Have you seen the neato wheelchairs they got nowadays? I spent a distracted hour looking at them. Of course that is not a gift idea, but geepers.) ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/6 "2017-04-07T09:00:22Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > She “will have to learn to walk again,” due to damage to her sense of balance. She is looking at ten day in the hospital recover ward. A pair of new Sneakers (flat sole) in a cool colour/ design to motivate her? A Rollator [Walker (mobility) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_(mobility)#Rollators) ? > [@](#): > > Active in the church and with a large adult family in town, food and babysitting ought not to be an issue. That’s very good to hear. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/7 "2017-04-07T09:12:51Z")
I’ve never known anyone to actually use one of those electronic photo frames. First, putting together a slide show is very labor intensive. Second, some people just refuse to learn to use one. It’s a gift that’s destined to stay in a closet indefinitely. ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/8 "2017-04-07T10:08:41Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Would some fancy head scarves be creepy? Ask her directly. Maybe she will like a headscarve; maybe she will hate it and prefer a good wig. And ask her husband/ the rest of the Family, so you don’t duplicate gifts, or can pool for expensive gifts. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/9 "2017-04-07T11:14:43Z")
iPod nano, loaded with music she adores, (do the research!), a long charger cord and a innocuous container to conceal/disguise it, for while she’s in hospital, (so it doesn’t get swiped!) Very thoughtful, extremely comforting in stressful times, and pretty affordable! ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/10 "2017-04-07T12:21:01Z")
I also fully recommend you simply flat out ask the woman in question. She will know best what will be most useful to her ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/11 "2017-04-07T12:38:31Z")
I very much like the iPod for her. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/12 "2017-04-07T12:52:45Z")
We got one for my fully bedridden mother in law, with brilliant results. (I posted about it at the time, I was so pleased. But don’t know how to link to it since the search engine doesn’t function, but if you search for, ‘And sometimes the joy sneaks right up on you!’, you can read about our experience!) Good Luck! ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/13 "2017-04-07T15:26:41Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I very much like the iPod for her. In addition to music, you might could pre-load it with a few audiobooks if that is something you think she might enjoy. Introduce her to [Audible.com](http://Audible.com) and spot her a few credits to make some choices of her own. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/14 "2017-04-07T16:11:45Z")
My sister-in-law has progressive MS and is almost completely paralyzed and in a wheelchair. We normally get her things like scarves or other clothes, or movies she can watch on her computer, or houseplants or other knickknacks. This year the biggest hit was a real stuffed (taxidermy) squirrel we found at Goodwill. She _hates_ squirrels. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/15 "2017-04-07T16:45:48Z")
I talked to her husband, my brother. The headscarf is out. Little tiny hole that will be covered by her hair. The iPod is out. She has a smart phone. I think I will go with the electronic photo frame. I use mine all the time. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/16 "2017-04-07T17:14:10Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > …(Have you seen the neato wheelchairs they got nowadays? I spent a distracted hour looking at them. Of course that is not a gift idea, but geepers.) Neato wheelchairs? Site Please? My moms uses a wheelchair (not full time) and I’m always looking for stuff to make it easier. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/17 "2017-04-07T17:34:12Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I think I will go with the electronic photo frame. I use mine all the time. Since you mentioned she is active in a church, you could include inspirational images or sayings interspersed with the photos. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-gifts-for-an-invalid/783956/18 "2017-04-08T02:32:19Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Neato wheelchairs? Site Please? My moms uses a wheelchair (not full time) and I’m always looking for stuff to make it easier. > > Thanks. Here you go. [Neato Wheelchairs.](http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/gifts-for-the-disabled) But you cannot really buy someone a wheelchair, it is very dependent on a lot of stuff.