What is a good gift for a person who is paralyzed?

Question

I would like to get a present for someone that is paralyzed. They can move their head and can speak but they can not move arms, legs, upper body. They have been like this for 6 months after an accident. Any suggestions at all are valuable.

Answer 1

Do they have a computer? If so a program like Via Voice or Dragon Naturally Speaking might be a joy to them. These are programs that allow someone to run their computer by voice command. Being able to do that would open up a lot of things: communication with friends and relatives by email, music, videos, making new friends on line, being able to share in disability support groups, being able to give help through something like Yahoo Answers instead of always being the one needing help, expressing themself in a blog.

What did the person like before the accident? Can you figure out something related to thise interests that they can still use? Is it a guy or a gal? For a female anything to help her still feel feminine and pretty. Perfume, lotion with a sweet scent eve tho someone else will need to apply it. Flowers. For a guy a cap that says something funny or inspiring, If they have access to a DVD player or vcr get dvd's or videos about things they enjoy, maybe silly comedies, some of the music they like best. Maybe burn a CD of ppl they know singing and playing or go where they are and put on a mini concert and burn a CD of it. Bibles or church services on tape or CD may be welcome too.

Someone suggested aids to make the chair more comfortable and that would be great. There are also mouth controlled devices that will move a chair and do other things. They may well be out of your price range but available through insurance or rehab if your friend or those caring for them know to ask for them. Maybe your gift could be doing some research on those thru someplace like Accdess Center for Independent living. Check into simple inexpensive aides too if they don't have them like a book stand and a mouth stick to turn pages in a book or poke things to turn a switch in and off. Maybe you can get them a phone that will turn on or off by voice or with a poke of the mouth stick. I knew a guy that had his cell phone mounted to a rod at the side of his chair. A mouth stick was taped to the on button. A poke with the mouth stick turned it on and dialing was by voice comnmand. Another poke turned it off. He had the freedom to make and answer calls without having to ask for help.

When they are ready - and you, their doctor and their family will know when - help them meet some other ppl who are quads who are still doing remarkable things either in person or thru net and videos but preferably in person. They need to know this is a detour not a dead end. The Access Center for Independent Living here was headed by one of the most severely impaired quads I've ever met. Bob opened more doors for more people without being able to move an arm or leg than most able bodied ppl ever dream of doing,. He was a very motivational speaker with an off the wall sense of humor.

If the person and their caretaker want it an adult cat or dog would be good, A service dog would be wonderful but any animal that is affectionate and responsive and well behaved would be a possibility. My husband is disabled tho not a quadrapelegic like your friend. When he was least able to fuction and do for himself Albert our "angel wearing a dog suit" stayed with him while I was at work lay next to him and generally kept watch and helped him feel less alone. Later when he was up in a chair the cat would sit on the back of the chair and groom him like he was her kitten and absolutely demand that he respond to her not just drift off into the grips of dispair and nothingness. As he got better she moved down to his shoulder and chest and snuggled in his beard. I knew he was going to make it when she started to leave him to go sit in the sunny window and take cat naps away from him sort of the way a mom cat knows when to leave their kittens for a little while to learn to be on their own. She still slept on his pillow and watched over him every night till she decided he was really getting better.

One of the greatest gifts you can give is your time and your presence. Go sit with them. Share silly stories. Listen and hold their hand or wipe their eyes if they need to cry. GIve their care taker a break especialy if it's a family member doing 24/7 duty. If they can eat regular foods take a McD meal or some pizza or ice cream. If their caretaker says they'd like it invite them to go to a softball game, a concert, to church. And if you do stay with them as a friend. Talk to them, listen to them, do not talk about them in the 3rd person while they are sitting there. If they can talk can they sing? Help them cut a tape or burn a CD to send to friends. If no singing just a talking tape. Be real with them and let them be real with you.

One last thought. Would they like a harmonica mounted so that all they need to do is move their head and mouth to play?

Answer 2

Something pleasant to look at such as art, perhaps some pot pourri if they aren't allergic to scent and would enjoy it, humorous reading if they have a way to turn the pages, candy if they can have it...

Is there something that can make their wheelchair more comfortable? What about a subscription to a magazine (again if they can turn the pages somehow) they would enjoy?

I think the T-shirt idea someone else had is a good idea too. Are they able to feel? Soft fuzzy slippers could be nice. Maybe subscribe to a dvd club or buy them a package such as all the "I love Lucy" episodes...

Would it be feasible to take them to a park once a week or so? They might really enjoy getting outside if that is possible.

Hope some of these help, and I hope your friend is able to recover soon.

Answer 3

My son is completely paralyzed from the neck down. It's been 18 months. Last year, I got my son Dragon Naturally and it was pretty good. I also got him a quadstick on his birthday for playing Playstation and Xbox. It is incredible and he can play pretty much any video game with practice. Great for socialization too and being something he loved before his injury that he can still do now, really helps his outlook. Quadstick is all mouth and chin controls. And both gifts are affordable in the big picture of specialty items.

Answer 4

Everybody needs music. Perhaps an Ipod filled with their favorite music? Perhaps a CD player and burn there favorite songs on the CD so when you are together you both can listen and you play their CD.

Since I don't know the climate where you live - perhaps a new jacket.

This is kinda fun - there is this new toothbrush that makes music when the teeth are being brushed. You can only hear it on your mouth. It's something different if s/he is now unable to brush on their own.

Answer 5

They have a caretaker, right? Maybe a movie they can watch, a book on CD, an art print, photo, or,framed inspirational verse. They wear clothes - so clothes may work - like a funny t-shirt.

Answer 6

A great gift would be a communication board! Something you could or nurses could use to communicate with them! This should include pictures of common items, letters words etc...or you can make one for them! I think this would be the best gift in the world for them...if you can't do this something visual they can see in there room to help them stay positive!

Answer 7

See what this person likes to do.. take em to go see a play or something, they already must not be the happiest to be immobile, do somethign with them to make em feel that not everything changes and that ur still friends with them

Answer 8

make your own card that says what a wonderful person they are and that you are there for them. don't worry about what to buy...the best gifts come from the heart.
It will be something personal that will be there to show in the hard emotional times that they are not alone and that you care

Answer 9

You could get them a nice outfit. Maybe their favorite shoes. A nice hat or even a nice tote bag.

Answer 10

there are special dogs that are trained to help people who are in this situation...you don't have to pay the whole tab but you could help in the process..

also i do volunteer work for people who are in this situation...there are people who volunteer to help doing chores or helping them study...just being there to talk to and sometimes if they know that someone is thinking about them is enough..