By Brian Fox, SourcePoint Caregiver Program Coordinator
I’d like to present The 2023 SourePoint Caregiver’s Gift Guide! When selecting the parameters for what counts as a solid gift for a caregiver, I considered the following three things: Is it relaxing? Is it useful? Is it under $20? When all was said and done, things still felt a bit generic so I decided to narrow the field a little further and add a fourth standard: Is it thoughtful? Nothing wrong with a safe bet or a “catch-all” gift here and there but at this point, the amount of US dollars circulating in the form of Cheesecake Factory gift cards could destabilize a modest nation’s economy. So please take a look at some of these local alternatives that might help an indecisive relative or neighbor knock it out of the park this holiday!
Disclaimer: Any mention of products are opinions held by this author and not an endorsement by SourcePoint as an organization.
1. Coffeeology
So before I made the switch to social services, I spent a lot of time as a bartender. While the soft skills and time management ability I acquired during my years in fine dining carried me through careers, some of the high-concept establishments I worked in felt maybe a little… forced. Sure, the three weeks I spent working at that one place that only served meat born under certain zodiac signs made me reevaluate where my life was heading but if I hadn’t worked there, I would never have been introduced to the place around the block that served the best cup of coffee I’ve ever tasted. One Line Coffee started out as a brick-and-mortar shop near downtown Columbus but has since spread throughout the state. Luckily the whole beans have made their way to shelves in Delaware’s own Coffeeology. Starting your day with some artisan coffee every now and again just feels good. Also, don’t worry about any of that fancy equipment, good old Mr. Coffee always does the job. The folks behind the counter can even grind the beans upon purchase. Each roast’s description details where the beans were sourced as well as the tasting notes such as apricot, hibiscus, cranberry sauce, and raspberry on the Ethiopian Nguisse Nare blend.
2. Honey & Abernathy Bath and Body Essentials
Have you ever wandered down the hygiene aisle at the grocery store and noticed those chalky-looking individually wrapped balls that somewhat resemble giant candy jawbreakers? (Also, can we talk for a minute about cleaning product manufacturers and their choice to make everything look edible? I mean, if you don’t want me to eat Tide Pods then why did you make them look so delicious?!) Anyway, those potent-smelling little orbs are what’s known as a bath bomb. Terrifying name choice aside, they are actually really soothing. However, not all bath bombs are held to the same standard of quality unfortunately and, just like anything that’s going to make contact with your skin, it’s important to check the ingredients. I recommend the organic, locally crafted bath bombs over at Honey & Abernathy, or if the shower is your happy place go with a shower steamer instead. With scents like lavender and mint or bergamot and lily-of-the-valley even if you do accidentally take a nibble you won’t be ingesting anything harmful. Plus, your hiccups will smell great!
3. Griffey’s Book Emporium
So many of the caregivers I’ve had the pleasure of working with have expressed to me they find their happy place in a book. Well, did you know Delaware is home to an independent bookseller? Located right across the street from Grady Hospital, Griffey’s Book Emporium is a welcoming space that’s home to a vast selection of books and reading materials. They also hold regular events such as monthly markets featuring local crafters. One of the creations that has made its way onto shelves is these literary candles. Titled after the various genres like Thriller, Romance, and the Classics — each scent is designed to help transport you to a world within each book.
4. Greater Gouda
If you’ve spent enough time in Downtown Delaware, you know we have the best deli for miles! You’d think with the assortment of gourmet meats and cheeses as well as top-shelf snacks and spreads you’d be entering a stuffy atmosphere, catering to pretentious dinner parties or some such—but nope. The folks behind the counter just genuinely get a lot of satisfaction out of sharing the hidden farm fresh gems they find with the rest of the community. As a side note, if you participated in SourcePoint’s Caregiver Recognition event this year then the boxed meals my supervisor and I delivered to your door came from the Greater Gouda (their Rutherford Café side project, to be exact). While it’s probably not the most budget-conscious or sustainable to do all your grocery shopping here, it’s absolutely worth it to pick up the occasional secret ingredient. I recommend starting with their world-famous Crazy Mad Cheeseball spread! Oh, and keep this on the down low but rumor around town is the owners donate a ton of lunch meat to some free after-school programs in the area.
5. Stockhands Horses for Healing
Many families have used these past few years of transition and adjustment to start up some new traditions. For a lot of households that might include a charitable donation to a place that holds significance to a loved one. If this is a practice your gift-giving circle has adopted, I’d like to throw down a contender for a worthy cause: Stockhands Horses for Healing. Donations to Stockhands help provide equine-assisted therapeutic services to Veterans, First Responders, and individuals with developmental and physical disabilities as well as those struggling with mental health and recovery. If you don’t already have weekend plans then consider attending their big winter fundraiser, Deck the Stalls! There will be pony rides and pictures with Santa for the kids as well as crafts for all ages.
Thank you for checking out this little gift guide—hope it was a fun read, if nothing else! I just want to leave you with one quick reminder as we approach the holiday season and that is to please take care of yourself as well. If you find time in your schedule, consider attending one or more of the expanded support group dates we’ve added.
Support groups, free classes and workshops, and one-on-one consultations are available for family caregivers of any age who live in Delaware County, as well as those who are caring for a loved one who lives in the county. To learn more visit MySourcePoint.org/caregiver. Or schedule a private discussion with Caregiver Program Coordinator, Brian Fox. Brian can be reached by e-mail at bfox@MySourcePoint.org or by phone at 740-203-2399.