Holiday Gifts for People with Disabilities Are Bountiful

The holiday season is a time of peace. It is an epoch when we realize that it is better to have peace and prosperity than war, pestilence, death and destruction. The holiday season is a universal time for giving and receiving. Our gifts reflect our love towards our family and friends. The gifts we receive demonstrate the charity our family and friends has towards us.

As we approach this holiday season, many, many times annually I am contacted by people through e-mails, fazes, letters and telephone calls and asked this question: “What can I buy my parents who have a disability?” Wow! What an awesome responsibility I have? As I respond to the question, I frequently find myself looking for answers to the same question regarding my friends with disabilities. I start answering by creating an inclusive list of gifts that include candy, clothes technology, games, entertainment and travel.

For chocolate candy lovers, ChocoBraille ® (http://www.chocobraille.com) is a chocolate company specializing in hand crafted chocolates. Chocolate bars are covered with elaborate designs along with messages of love, peace and happy holidays. Braille holiday messages can be embossed into the surface of the candy. The decorations, messages and designs are three-dimensional so that recipients with visual impairments can read them. This company sells candy with elaborate designs for 13 occasions. Buyers are given the options of boxed chocolates, chocolate greeting cards and even chocolate gift baskets!

The Mature Mall ® (http://www.maturemall.com) site is aimed at an older audience; however, it still provides great holiday gift ideas for people of all ages. They even have a "Gift Idea" section where products are divided into categories. Some of these categories include, apparel, books, exercise equipment, electronics, writing aids and watches. These products promote the independence of people with disabilities. For instance, there are a number of products that have large print or that talk to help those with vision problems or blindness conduct their daily activities; products that hold and pick up objects to make life easier for those with less mobility; products that aid relaxation like icepacks, music, pillows, stress balls and a bathtub Jacuzzi. This site is loaded with gifts that would be on anybody's wish list, not just people with disabilities! As well as having some great gift ideas, this site is a good resource for people with disabilities.

Artistic ability surpasses disability - Courage Gifts and Cards (http://www.couragecards.org) showcases the talents of artists with disabilities. These masterpieces take the form of boxed and personalized holiday cards, ornaments, cookie tins, decorative plates, candles and cardholders. All of these products are hand-painted and crafted by talented artists and all the profits made from these products are donated to Courage Centers around the U.S. to provide rehabilitation opportunities and other resources for individuals with disabilities.

Get your order in now for a set of beautiful Holiday Wishes Greeting Cards from the MDA Holiday Art Collection (www.mdausa.org). Each card features a holiday image reproduced from a work of art created by an individual with a neuromuscular disease. Proceeds benefit MDA's programs in research, clinic services and summer camp for children.

Diestco (www.diestco.com) makes a variety of products for people who use wheelchairs, scooters and walkers, including canopies to protect you from inclement weather, lap trays to help you write, cup holders that attach to wheelchairs and scooters, and a variety of backpacks and storage bags to hold important items. The company's Cargo Shelf attaches to the frame under your wheelchair seat for toting books, clothes, etc. It has a front zippered pocket for keys, glasses or wallet.

The WeatherBreaker is a canopy that attaches to wheelchairs or scooters to protect you from the sun and rain.

No more eating or using a laptop on your lap with the MiniTray. Simply attach the MiniTray brackets to your scooter or power chair armrest. When you need it, flip it up from the side. When not in use, flip it back down like an airline tray.

The Large Front Walker Bag attaches to the front of your walker to give you convenient and easily accessible storage. Ideal for newspapers, magazines, spare sweaters, etc.

The zippered top and sides of the Side Access Bag let you get what you need without leaving your seat. It includes a zippered pocket and convenient mesh pocket in back.

The Large Glove Box attaches under most seats, and is useful for storing valuables and personal items out of sight. Small and large versions are sold separately.

ADAPTED CLOTHING

Lokina Designs (www.lokina.com) offers accessories and items of apparel that are colorful, stylish and comfortable. Products include the Liberty Line of apparel designed for wheelchair users, with special features such as extra length at the back of the blouse and shirt, and pants with a raised back for comfort. Simple yet functional styling complements the Liberty Pants designed for men and women. The full-cut legs, extra long fly with Velcro brand fastener; elastic side waist and flat back provide nonbinding comfort.

Side-angled pockets, belt loops and additional length of 2 inches are featured for the seated position. Vest Protectors are fashionable and practical for mealtime or eating in the car and help keep clothing clean and neat.

For people wanting to exercise, Saratoga Cycles (www.saratoga-intl.com) offers exercise machines for people with disabilities that are designed and built by people with disabilities, including the new Spirit series of cycles that facilitate arm and leg exercise.

The Ex N' Flex EF-250 Leg Machine is designed for those who have little or no control over lower body movement. It's compact, lightweight and easily movable with specially designed wheels and lockdowns.

The accessible control panel offers easy operation, a biofeedback indicator, forward and reverse directions, and three speed levels for passive or active training. Its height is adjustable to allow use from any chair or wheelchair.

From Sharper image (www.sharperimage.com) comes specialty items for communications and environmental protection. For example, instead of punching in multiple area codes or credit card numbers, let the new Voice Activated Auto Dialer do it for you. A synthesized voice prompts you for a name to call, asks which number to dial (home, office , mobile or other), then confirms your command as it automatically dials the number by emitting tones into the phone receiver.

Now you can make more calls in less time and never have to bother looking up a number. The voice-guided menu makes it easy to add, delete or modify your entries.

The water-shedding, stain-resistant, teflon-coated Windefyer umbrella comes with a sheath, a wrist strap and a one-year warranty. It features a double overlapping canopy with mesh lining that funnels winds up to 60 mph and prevents the umbrella from turning inside out. It opens to a 4-foot-8-inch arc; folded, it's 20 1/2 inches long.

For people who enjoy playing card games, battery-operated card shufflers (www.dynamic-living.com) and attractive playing card holders are favored by people with arthritis or a weak grip caused by stroke or other conditions. Low-vision cards make playing cards easier to see.

For entertainment lovers, Technos (www.mctos.com) offers a line of products, including CDs and tapes, intended to stimulate the brain waves of people who are severely disabled and people using wheelchairs .

Telephones that help you communicate. Some of the most popular telephone products include amplified phones with big buttons that can help you hear up to 100 times more volume and emergency phones that automatically dial up to six preprogrammed phone numbers.

For the gourmet palate, Balducci's (www.balducci.com) you can order pastas, sauces, soups, condiments, spices, biscotti, candies and coffees and have them delivered fresh.

For clock-watchers, Timex (www.timex.com) watches and clocks of every size and style are available.

For pet lovers Petopia (www.petopia.com) offers food, grooming tools, books, toys, nutritional supplements, carriers, collars, beds and many other products, all for pets and their owners.

For music lovers CD Now (www.CDnow.com) has sample sound files from current releases and search for favorite albums from the past. You'll also find on-site music news and reviews.

For flower lovers and romantics, (www.1800flowers.com) sells flowers, plants, candles, pottery, vases and gift baskets.

Let's remember easy-to-assemble artificial trees for stands at retail stores. For the reader there are audio books at Barnes & Noble (www.bn.com) and Borders (www.borders.com) and the American Foundation for the Blind (www.afb.org). This site offers books, music and software. Textbooks and rare and out-of-print books are also available at Barnes & Noble and Borders.

For individuals seeking improved environmental control products, there are sip/puff switches, sensitive switches, foot switches, multiple switches, switch interfaces, general switches, mounting devices and training and game software.

For sports enthusiasts there are basketballs and nets, tennis rackets and balls, baseball gloves and balls, footballs, golf clubs and hockey sticks. The U.S. Paralympics committee (http://www.usparalympics.org/default.asp) is an excellent resource for gift ideas.

Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!