PFP’s Mother’s Day Gift Guide
In 2013, Power for Parkinson’s was founded by two mothers, Dr. Nina Mosier and Susan Stahl, in honor of their fathers. Ever since, mothers have played a critical role in every aspect of our organization. They lead our classes, volunteer their time, and make Power for Parkinson’s the warm and welcoming community that it is.
On Mother’s Day, we are reminded of how much mothers do, not just for their families but also for the community as a whole. With that in mind, we encourage you to show the mothers and mother figures in your life how much you appreciate them. If your mother or someone in your life is living with Parkinson’s, here are a few meaningful gift ideas that we think will make them smile.
Accessibility Gifts
Parkinson’s can make tasks of daily living, like buttoning your shirt, tying your shoes, and applying your makeup, much more difficult. If your mom’s Parkinson’s symptoms are making it harder for her to live independently, these adaptive products could be helpful.
Slip-on Shoes
Our participants love Sketchers’ slip-on shoes. They can be slipped on hands-free, which is fantastic for anyone who struggles with mobility or hand dexterity. At the same time, they provide good support and grip to help prevent injury and keep you exercising. Moreover, they come in different styles and colors, so your mom can look cool from head to toe.
Cadense Shoes are also highly recommended by several PFP participants. These adaptive shoes are designed specifically for people who struggle with foot dragging and tripping while walking. They’re also pretty stylish if we do say so ourselves!
Accessible Clothing
One of our all-time favorite adaptive apparel brands is Magnaready. This company makes stylish, high-quality clothing fastened with magnets rather than buttons or zippers. As a bonus, you can give back to Power for Parkinson’s when you use the discount code “PFP20” on your Magnaready purchase. Please note that you may want to consult a doctor before gifting Magnaready to anyone with medical devices that are affected by magnets, such as pacemakers or ICDs.
Here are a few additional adaptive clothing and makeup brands for you to explore!
Ably Apparel: Water- and stain-resistant clothing in stretchy fabrics
Buck & Buck: Adaptive clothing, footwear, and accessories for men and women
Fresh Comfort Bras: Easy-to-use intimate apparel for women
Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive: Clothes with modifications like magnetic buttons, bungee cords, and Velcro-brand closures for men and women.
Look for something that fits your mom’s style, is easy to move around in, and is easy to put on and take off. Wearing items with elastic waistbands, and velcro and magnetic fastenings rather than buttons and zippers can make life a lot easier for someone struggling with stiffness, tremors, and hand dexterity.
Accessible Makeup
If your mom loves makeup but is struggling with fine motor movements, check out Guide Beauty, a brand that sells makeup and tools that adapt to makeup applicators to help guide the hand for easier application. Parkinson’s UK has a great blog about applying makeup when you have Parkinson’s that could be a helpful guide if you’re trying to give your mom the gift of makeup this Mother’s Day.
For Book Lovers
For readers struggling to hold their books when their tremors are acting up, we found reading rests to be helpful. Amazon offers many options here. If your mom loves to read and struggles with insomnia, we recommend this book light so that she can read late at night without turning on the lights.
Healthier, Non-Toxic Living Gifts
Recent studies indicate that the rise in Parkinson’s may be due to chemical exposures from solvents used in dry cleaning, industrial applications, and cleaning products. Given these findings, tools for non-toxic living are a valuable gift for preventing further exposure to dangerous chemicals.
A basket of organic fruits and vegetables would be a meaningful gift. Add a fruit wash, available at many grocery stores, to ensure you remove residual pesticides.
Cleaning Products
We love cleaning products that reduce microplastics and avoid toxic, harsh chemicals like parabens and phosphates. Blueland andTruly Free offer all the products a person could need to keep their home clean, without toxins.
Non-Toxic Cookware
If your mom loves to cook and uses Teflon cookware, it may be time for an upgrade.
When Teflon is heated to high temperatures, it has been found to release harmful chemicals. That’s why we are recommending people with Parkinson’s shift to ceramic, stainless steel, and cast iron products. Caraway is a non-stick cookware line that helps avoid the toxic chemicals Teflon releases. They also have a great line of glass storage containers to help avoid plastic. Our Place offers another line of high-quality ceramic cookware. Both offer a wide range of colors and styles.
Power for Parkinson’s Merch
Not to toot our own horn, but we think our T-shirts are pretty cool! Moreover, when you purchase a gift for your mother from our shop, all proceeds go back to our free exercise classes for people with Parkinson’s. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
If your father prefers exercising with DVDs or doesn’t have internet access, you can also give them the gift of exercise with ourworkout DVDs!
Click here to shop PFP.
Calming apps to help alleviate stress, anxiety, pain, and depression
Apps like Calm and Headspace provide calming stories, music, and meditation to help relieve stress, anxiety, and insomnia while promoting mindfulness. Anxiety and trouble sleeping are common symptoms of Parkinson’s, and apps like these can be a helpful remedy. Moreover, research has shown that mindfulness and meditation can help people with Parkinson’s improve their symptoms.
We know Parkinson’s symptoms can be extensive, and pain can be one of them.Curable is a unique app that can help manage chronic pain without medication.
There are a number of apps made specifically for people with PD.Strive PD is an app that helps you track your symptoms with an Apple Watch.Loud and Clear is an app that helps you work on your vocal power.
Quality Time
It might sound cliché, but at the end of the day, one of the best gifts you can give your mother is your time. If you’re looking for something fun to do together, we always recommend trying out one of our classes. However, a nice walk, meal, or phone call is always appreciated.
We hope you find this list helpful! All the products we’ve included today are ones that we’ve tried ourselves and found helpful, or our participants have tried and recommended. If you have favorite gadgets and gifts you’d like to add to our list, let us know at info@powerforparkinsons.org!
