Christmas gifts for someone who’s ill

Something lovely for the sofa or bed that also happens to be extremely useful when somebody is spending far too much time resting.

Soft, muted, washable and useful long after recovery. A little bit of comfort that belongs on their sofa, rather than in a medical cupboard.

Soft, machine washable, with pockets, and gift-worthy enough for Christmas. Useful for slow mornings and resting at home.

Hospital pillows are covered in wipe-clean waterproof plastic that makes you sweaty, clammy and miserable. A pillowcase from home makes the bed feel less clinical, and darker colours are the most practical choice for hospital life — they hide the inevitable marks and cope well with repeated washing.

Day units run cold, fluids going in are colder still, and a book or a phone is no fun with numb fingers. A rechargeable warmer sits in one hand or a pocket for the length of a chair session, with no faff and nothing to plug in at the bedside.

Standing wet in a shared bathroom trying to make a small stiff towel go round is nobody's finest hour. A big soft bath sheet from home covers you properly, dries you quickly and is the least glamorous, most appreciated thing in the bag.

The 20-litre capacity gives room for day essentials. Grab handles and an adjustable cross-body strap give carrying options, with an external zip pocket, internal slip pockets and water-resistant fabric.

Everything lives in this bag for the duration and gets moved every time a bed does. Soft sides squash into a locker, a shoulder strap frees a hand for a drip stand, and something you actually like the look of makes the whole business feel less like an emergency.

A hanging wash bag keeps everything off shared surfaces and within reach. It is particularly useful when the trip to the bathroom also involves manoeuvring a drip stand, because the whole kit travels and hangs up in one go.

A four-hour infusion next to a beeping pump is exhausting. Noise cancelling turns a shared bay into something bearable, and doubles as a signal that someone needs a rest from conversation.

Ultra-thin flat speakers mean patients can listen to podcasts, music and audiobooks comfortably while resting sideways against the pillow, without hard earbuds digging into the ear. It doubles as a light-blocking band for daytime rest.

Ward wifi is patchy and rounds interrupt everything. Puzzles can be picked up and put down instantly, fill ten quiet minutes without much commitment, and work when concentrating on a full book feels impossible.

Visits get awkward when nobody knows what to say. A short game fills twenty minutes comfortably, and works on a bed table with limited space.

Hospital sockets sit behind the bed, above head height, or on the far wall. A standard 1m cable means choosing between charging your phone and being able to reach it. Three metres reaches the bed every time.

Holding a phone up while lying flat is tiring and drops it on your face eventually. A clamp arm makes films and video calls possible for someone who can't sit up.