The best gifts for bedridden elderly people are practical comforts they will use every day: something warm for cold feet, something soft and dry to lie or sit on, and something that makes washing easier for whoever looks after them. Down-Under Wool is a family business in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and has supplied Australian medical sheepskin and Merino wool products to caregivers since 1988. Below are 16 gift ideas grouped by need, each with who it suits and one honest note on washing or sizing.
How do you choose a gift for a bedridden elderly person?
Start with where they spend their day and what bothers them most, then check the size and who will wash it. Ask them, or the relative or nurse who knows them best:
- Are their feet often cold? Wool booties hold their own body heat, with nothing to plug in.
- How many hours do they spend in bed, a recliner or a wheelchair? That tells you whether a bed gift or a chair gift will get more use.
- Is their skin fragile, or are heels and elbows sore? Ask the care team first. A soft surface adds comfort but doesn't replace regular turning; see how to prevent bed sores at home.
- Who does the washing, and is there incontinence? If accidents happen, choose machine-washable, urine-resistant items.
- Do you know their shoe size? Some footwear below comes in limited sizes.
- Are they in a nursing home? Check the facility's rules and label everything with their name.
Two safety points. For anyone with diabetes and nerve damage, the NIDDK advises against putting a hot water bottle or heating pad on the feet, and suggests socks in bed instead. If they still walk, the National Institute on Aging recommends nonskid, rubber-soled, low-heeled shoes rather than socks or smooth-soled slippers, and it advises against throw rugs and small area rugs, so keep any sheepskin on the bed or chair, never the floor.
Gifts for cold feet
Wool that holds the person's own warmth makes a gentle gift for cold feet. For causes and tips, see our guide to foot warmers for poor circulation.
1. Merino Lambswool Wrap Booties
The Merino Lambswool Wrap Booties suit someone in bed most of the day with cold or tender feet, or someone recovering from foot surgery. The foot rests on the sole and the side flaps wrap around it and close with Velcro, so there is nothing to pull on. One size fits all, and they go in the washer and dryer (don't over-dry). They are for bed and chair, not for walking.
2. Lambswool Footwarmers with Non-Slip Sole
Lambswool Footwarmers with a non-slip sole have a stretchy knitted ankle top, no seams at pressure points, and some grip for getting out of bed. Sizing note: this version comes in Small only (shoe size 5-6, a 9.25" sole), and the foot should be at least 1" shorter than the sole. Machine wash and air dry. Our foot warmers page lists other styles.
3. Sheepskin Medical Boot with Soft Sole
The Sheepskin Medical Boot opens to within 2" of the toe and closes with a Velcro strap, so it is easy to get a foot into. It is made for indoor use and molds to the foot with wear. Honest note: only sizes XS, S and XXL are left, so check the size first. Hand wash and air dry. Read about the benefits of sheepskin boots.
4. Shear Comfort Tall Slipper Boot
The Shear Comfort Tall Slipper Boot is 15" high, made from HiTemp UR medical sheepskin, with an open toe so feet can be checked without taking it off. Five Velcro closures leave room for compression bandages and support hosiery, and it can be worn in bed, in a chair or around the house. Hand wash it in Woolskin; household detergent damages the leather. More styles are in our medical slippers range.
Gifts for comfort in bed
Mayo Clinic describes bedsores as injuries to skin and underlying tissue from prolonged pressure, most often over the heels, ankles, hips and tailbone. These gifts put soft wool under those spots.
5. Australian Medical Sheepskin
The Australian Medical Sheepskin Overlay is the classic medical sheepskin: about 38" x 24-26", made to the AS4480.1 standard, with a stamp on the leather backing. In a 2004 trial of 441 patients at a Melbourne teaching hospital, 9.6% of patients given one developed new pressure ulcers, against 16.6% with standard care. It is urine resistant, can be washed hot and is warranted for at least 50 washes in Woolskin. Air drying takes about 24 hours, so many caregivers keep two or three.
6. The Hospital Bed Nursing Fleece
The Hospital Bed Nursing Fleece covers a whole standard hospital bed mattress (35" x 80") with Merino wool and stays put with an elasticized skirt. They can lie on the wool directly or under a fitted sheet. It machine washes and dries on low heat.
7. Medical Sheepskin Heel Pad
The Medical Sheepskin Heel Pad forms a soft cup of Merino wool for the heel, closed with a Velcro strap. One size fits either foot. Hand or machine wash in Woolskin and air dry. Unsure which style they need? See heel protectors for bed sores.
8. Medical Sheepskin Elbow Pad
The Medical Sheepskin Elbow Pad suits someone whose elbows rub on the sheets or bed rails. It fits all elbows and is sold singly, so order two for both arms. Hand wash and air dry.
Gifts for a chair, recliner or wheelchair
Many bedridden people sit up in a chair for part of the day, so a soft seat matters too. Our guide to medical sheepskin for recliner chairs covers placement.
9. Healthcare Lambskin
The Healthcare Lambskin is a large (about 30" x 40") lambskin with a dense 30 mm champagne pile for a chair, recliner, sofa or wheelchair, and many people keep one on a favorite chair for warmth. Two honest notes: wash it in cool or lukewarm water, because hot water may shrink it, and it isn't urine resistant, so choose the medical sheepskin above if there is incontinence.
10. Pressure Smart XD1900 Cushion-It
The Cushion-It is an 18" x 22" pad with a very dense wool pile for the seat or back of a wheelchair, armchair or car seat. It can strap on or stay loose to move from chair to car. It isn't harmed by urine and can be machine washed and tumble dried on low.
11. Hospital Wool Fleece Wheelchair Seat Cover
The Wool Fleece Wheelchair Seat Cover (18" x 36") covers the seat and back of most wheelchairs in one piece and is held by an elastic strap. It goes in the washer and dryer, which helps a busy household.
Gifts for someone in a nursing home
For a nursing home or hospital stay, small washable things that stay with the person work best. Ask the facility what is allowed.
12. Washable Sheepskin Walker Seat Cover
The Walker Seat Cover (15" x 12") turns a hard walker seat into a soft place to rest, with adjustable straps. Hand wash and air dry.
13. Washable Sheepskin Walker Handle Covers
Walker Handle Covers are a pair of sheepskin sleeves that close with Velcro and soak up moisture from sweaty hands. Choose champagne (low-temperature wash) or green HiTemp sheepskin. Hand wash and air dry.
Wool bedding gifts for better sleep
Merino wool is breathable and helps regulate sleeping temperature; see is it good to sleep on wool.
14. Wool Pillow Cover
The Wool Pillow Cover (18" x 28") slips over a queen pillow and gives a soft Merino surface for the face and head. MiniJumbuk makes it for us in Australia. Machine wash on a wool cycle and dry on low without over-drying.
15. Hospital Wool Fleece Bed Pad
The Hospital Wool Fleece Bed Pad (30" x 60") reaches from shoulders to feet and is urine resistant, so it suits someone with incontinence. It machine washes and dries; put a waterproof pad underneath to protect the mattress.
Gifts for the caregiver
The person doing the laundry deserves a gift too.
16. Woolskin Sheepskin Wash
Woolskin is a concentrated sheepskin and wool wash developed by the Australian tanning industry. It cleans and conditions the wool and the leather and contains tea tree oil. Household detergents and Woolite may permanently damage sheepskin leather, so a bottle in the gift bag saves trouble. Our guide on how to wash sheepskin has the steps.
A second sheepskin is a thoughtful caregiver gift too, so one is on the bed while the other dries. Our bedsore prevention packages put several items in one order; the HiTemp package pairs a medical sheepskin with a foot pad and Woolskin.
When should you order holiday gifts?
Order holiday gifts as early as you can. Delivery times vary with distance, the carrier and the holiday rush, so we can't promise a date, and ordering early leaves time to sort out sizing. Orders over $180 ship free. Questions? Contact us.
Gifts for Bedridden Elderly FAQs
What do you buy someone who is bedridden?
Buy something they will use every day in bed, such as warm wool booties, a medical sheepskin or wool fleece to lie on, heel or elbow pads, or a wool pillow cover.
What are good gifts for elderly people in a nursing home?
Small, washable, labeled items are best, such as walker covers or wrap booties. Ask the facility first what residents may keep.
What can I get my elderly parents for Christmas?
Get a comfort gift matched to how they spend their day: booties for cold feet, a lambskin for a favorite chair, or a wool fleece for the bed. Order early.
What do you get an elderly parent who has everything?
Upgrade something they use every day, such as their pillow, their recliner seat or their walker.
What is a good gift for an elderly person with cold feet?
Wool booties or foot warmers are a good choice, because they hold the body's own warmth with no heat source to burn numb feet.
What is a good gift for a caregiver of the elderly?
A gift that saves them work is best, such as Woolskin or a second sheepskin to swap in on wash day.
The short version
Match the gift to where they spend their day: wool booties for cold feet, a medical sheepskin or wool fleece for the bed, a lambskin or wool cushion for the chair, sheepskin covers for a walker, and Woolskin for the caregiver. Check the size, the washing instructions and any nursing home rules, and order early for the holidays.
