11 Gifts That Helped Me After My Stroke

Article updated on December 9, 2019.

When I had my stroke 12 years ago, some of the things I received as Christmas gifts were simple and yet very beneficial in my recovery. They assisted me with short-term memory loss, cognitive issues, English and math skills, as well as reading comprehension.

Here are some of the gifts I would recommend:

1. Coloring books

It’s a great way to practice staying within the lines and a way to de-stress.

Buy the “Lost Ocean: An Inky Adventure and Coloring Book for Adults” here.

2. Books

Books by my favorite authors so I could read a chapter a day and work on retaining what I read. Ask your loved ones what their favorite books are or get them a gift card to a book store.

Buy a gift card from Barnes and Noble here. 

3. Old-Time Radio Shows

I recommend ones such as Jack Benny, Abbott and Costello, Burns and Allen for some humor therapy. There are also plenty of current podcasts you can recommend for your loved ones too.

Search for podcast options here. 

4. Comedy Shows on DVD

Jeff Dunham, Carrot Top and Gallagher on DVD would be great for humor therapy and relaxation.

Check out more options here.

5. Brain games

This includes books that contain word search, sudoko, crosswords and trivia. Brain Quest has a variety of books to help out with math, memory and English skills.

Buy the Big Book of Sudoku on Amazon here.

 

6. Pixy Cubes

It’s a game where you have to copy the card pattern from memory.

Buy the Pixy Cubes Game from Amazon here.

7. Think Fun Games

They have a variety of games ranging from logic and memory to word.

Buy the Think Fun Invasion of The Cow Snatchers Game from Amazon here.

8. Workbooks

For those who have aphasia where they know what they want to say but can’t remember the word, these two workbooks were a huge benefit for me. Loved ones can set aside an hour a day to work on the lessons with their family member affected by this.

Buy the” Speech Therapy Aphasia Rehabilitation Workbook: Expressive and Written Language” on Amazon here.

9. Older Games for Kids

I was able to dig out my old games from when I was a kid that helped me with memory retention, reflexes in my hands and memory.

Buy the Simon game from Amazon here.

10. Video games

If the stroke affected the person’s mobility, getting video games, such as a Wii, with a variety of actives such as tennis, bowling, baseball, dancing where the person has to move around to hit their target can be very beneficial for strengthening muscles and improving coordination.

Buy the Wii Sports game from Amazon here.

11. CDs With Relaxation Sounds

For quiet time, I’ve found relaxation sounds of waves, dolphins, loons, Niagara Falls etc. to be very soothing. Dan Gibson’s Solitudes has a wide variety of CDs I’ve found to be just what I needed when I wanted to rest after a long day of working out in rehab.

Buy Peace in the Valley by Dan Gibson’s Solitudes from Amazon here.

By choosing gifts that are beneficial for your loved one who’s recovering from a stroke, it can help them regain the confidence they need to relearn what we may take for granted such as walking and holding an item, as well as cognitive skills such as reading comprehension, spelling, grammar, math, memory, relearning how to take directions, and writing their own name.