Give Seniors the Gift of Reading Comfort This Holiday

Book Buddy[TM] Provides Comfort, Support for Reading

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -- Choosing holiday gifts for her elderly mother can be challenging for Baby Boomer Linda Bolton. Every December, her mother, an avid reader with severe rheumatoid arthritis, proclaims, "Don't buy me anything. There's nothing I need."

ReadingComfort.com has made Bolton's shopping--and others who buy gifts for seniors or the physically challenged--a cinch.

ReadingComfort.com owner Myrna Alpern specifically designed The Book Buddy[TM], a soft, pillow-like lap desk, for seniors like Bolton's mother-- who loves to read, but needs a little extra comfort and support with heavy books and cumbersome pages. In fact, Alpern created the first Book Buddy[TM] in 1994 for her own mother, who, after suffering a stroke, had difficulty holding a book.

"The Book Buddy[TM] supports books in the most comfortable position while reading," says Alpern. "Whether you are sitting in a chair or lying in bed, it makes books feel weightless. Reading hands-free reduces the arm, neck and back strain we all experience as we age."

The Book Buddy[TM] easily secures books in place with adjustable ribbons that fit any size hardcover or paperback. Made in numerous patterns of luxurious designer fabrics, the Book Buddy[TM] offers quality at an extremely affordable price. It also features an acrylic desktop that slips in easily for use with laptop computers, correspondence, and even meals.

"The Book Buddy[TM] is a Godsend!" exclaims Bolton's mother Jeanette Amante of Newhall, CA. Amante has limited hand mobility and intense joint pain from severe arthritis as well as kidney and heart problems. "This is a gift I can actually use! I love to read, but I can't do it for long periods of time because my hands and neck hurt so much," she says. "With the Book Buddy[TM], I can get through chapter after chapter. I've been given back one of my greatest enjoyments in life."

A two-time cancer survivor and fibromyalgia sufferer herself, Alpern knows firsthand how mobility aides can brighten the lives of frustrated patients and older adults. "I get letters daily from people who say the Book Buddy[TM] has changed their life, and how much they love it," she said. "This product means everything to me."

The Book Buddy[TM] is currently available at www.ReadingComfort.com and at independent bookstores and hospital gift shops in 22 states. In addition, ReadingComfort.com offers elegant, hand-made companion items such as matching lap blankets, page paperweights, bookmarks and fabric bookcovers. A portion of proceeds benefit charitable organizations.

About ReadingComfort.com and the Book Buddy[TM]

ReadingComfort.com is a division of home based, woman-run business Amanda Crawford Designs. Founded by Baby Boomer Myrna Alpern in 1994, she restarted the business in 2000 after losing everything following bouts with both breast and uterine cancer. Amanda Crawford Designs, named after Alpern's beloved grandmother, is specifically targeted at helping individuals regain reading comfort and independence. The company recently launched a newly redesigned website, www.ReadingComfort.com, enabling buyers to click and buy reading accessories and gifts directly from the website.