Dressing can be a challenge for those with disabilities or aging adults. Buttoning a shirt may appear simple at first, but it can be a difficult task for seniors with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or epilepsy. If the individual cannot dress themselves, such as if they have lost a limb or are confined to a wheelchair, the issue is even more complicated.
Even if a senior is fortunate enough to have a caretaker who can assist with dressing, it is a time-consuming procedure. Fortunately, clothing designers realized the need for simpler clothes, which led to the development of the adaptable clothing line.
For elders living with dementia, tying shoes can be difficult.
Thankfully, adaptive clothing for seniors is more readily available than ever before, reducing frustration and increasing comfort. At popular stores and online, you can discover easy-to-wear clothing for senior loved ones as well as clothing developed for specific disorders such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Continue reading to know what adaptive clothing is and how people living with dementia can take advantage of such clothes.
Adaptive Clothing
Adaptive clothing, in a nutshell, is meant to make dressing easier for seniors and people with impairments. Buttons and zippers are generally replaced with more simplified techniques such as Velcro or magnetic fasteners in such clothes.
Adaptive clothing is designed for those who have trouble dressing themselves because of old age, impairment, or a lack of mobility. Adaptive clothing is often misconstrued to be only for wheelchair users; however, anyone who is confined by ordinary clothing can benefit from adaptive clothing.
Many seniors prefer the simplicity and comfort of adaptable clothing, such as shirts with open backs, ultra-wide slippers and shoes, easy snap pants, and wrap-around skirts for women.
Adaptive clothing for seniors is usually divided into two categories by retailers:
- Assisted dressing, in which a caregiver assists the person in putting on the clothes.
- Self-dressing: A more independent person may put on clothing on their own.
Features of Adaptive Clothing
Are you wondering what adaptive clothing entails? Here are some of the most typical features seen on adaptive clothing:
1. Open Backs or Sides
Such shirts and pants include strategically placed overlapping fabric panels that allow for convenient dressing and accessibility to catheters and other medical devices while being modest. Stamps, Velcro, and other closures can be used to keep the panels in place, and the open slit can run the length of the garment or partway down. Find open back clothing here & here. Shop women’s open back nightgowns here. Shop open side clothing here and here.
2. Waists with Elastics
Elastic waist trousers are quite comfortable and handy for individuals that experience limited movement. Elastic waists eliminate the need for fasteners and allow the pants to expand or shrink to meet any swelling or weight changes. Shop men’s elastic pants here. Shop women’s elastic pants here.
3. Magnetic Closures
If Velcro-style fasteners irritate you, look for magnetic-closure shirts and pants. These fasteners are quite simple to use. The magnets will remain stuck together until you grab the fabric panels and pull them apart. Remember, magnetic closures should not be used by people who have pacemakers. Shop magnetic closure clothing here.
4. Hook and Loop Closures
Hook and loop closures are incredibly easy to open, close, and modify as needed, and they remain put all day. Look for these closures with thinner, gentler edges that won’t scrape into your skin for maximum comfort.
5. Pants with Higher Backs
When you sit, your pants tend to drag down in the back, which may be a problem for those who use wheelchairs or spend most of their day sitting. The back of adaptive pants is often higher than the front, designed to ensure that individuals are well covered.
6. Pull-over Designs
Some shirts don’t have any closures at all and instead opt for a pull-over style. These shirts and outfits are best worn by those who still have adequate upper-body movement to lift and move their arms high. Look for shirts with broader necklines and baggy sleeves so you can put them on and take them off with ease. Shop women’s pullover shirts here.
7. Seamless Pattern
For people with sensory impairments, seams can be frustrating. Look for clothing with flattened seams, or skip the seams entirely and go for a seamless design.
How Does Adaptive Clothing Benefit both Caregivers and Patients?
Adaptive clothing benefits more than just the people who use it. It is also beneficial to their caregivers. Adaptive clothing benefits both patients and caregivers in the following ways:
1. Provides a Sense of Independence
Seniors may lack motor control as they become older, making it difficult for them to do complex activities like unbuttoning a blouse. They may be able to get into and out of the trousers or shirt, but they can’t manage the closure, so it doesn’t assist them much.
Adaptive clothing enables patients to keep dressing themselves for as long as possible by using easy-to-work fasteners like magnetic buttons and Velcro tabs. This helps them preserve their overall sense of independence.
2. Less Pressure and Pain
Wearing conventional clothing is difficult and even painful for many people, especially those with restricted movement. If you sit or lie down for long periods, heavy fabric seams, such as those seen in denim pants, can strain your body. Joint pain patients may find it difficult to get into and out of tight “normal” clothing.
Furthermore, everyday clothes may put far more stress on the surgical wound or rub against it, causing discomfort and agony in post-operative patients. Because of this, adapted clothing has minimum seams for maximum comfort and broad openings to make dressing easier, especially for those with restricted joint movement.
3. Boosts Family’s or Caregivers’ Confidence
It can be upsetting to see someone experience difficulty dressing themselves. And if you’re the one assisting them and they’re still dissatisfied with the dressing procedure, that discouragement will simply grow. Adaptive clothes, on the other hand, can provide caregivers and patients’ families confidence in their capacity to care for the patient as long as feasible at home.
4. Hassle-free Dressing
Consider how long it’ll take you to get dressed in the morning. Maybe a couple of minutes? What if it took you substantially longer, or if you can still get your trousers on but couldn’t zip them up. Wouldn’t you be irritated with yourself and your clothing? While most of us take getting dressed up for granted and seldom give it a second thought.
But, as dementia progresses, it may become a genuine hassle that requires a lot of work and time, which can be frustrating. Adaptive clothing alleviates some of the frustrations of the procedure, lowering stress levels in both the patient and the caregiver.
5. Preserves Dignity
Having someone else dress and undress you each morning and night, whether it’s your child or a hired professional, may seem quite uncomfortable. Adaptive clothing is meant to respect their dignity. For wheelchair transfers, for example, the clothes’ broad back overlaps provide covering.
6. Saves Time
Adaptive clothing is basically easier to put on and remove than traditional clothes. If trying to dress your patient or loved one has become a tedious job that takes most of your routine time, adaptive clothes can help you reclaim some of that time. Getting dressed is a breeze with clothing that has Velcro and magnetic fastening. In fact, it’s so handy that you could become bored of battling with your own little buttons.
7. Keep Caregivers and Patients Safe
Both the patient and the caregiver are at risk while dressing a patient with little or no movement. Lifting a patient inappropriately or without a mobility belt puts your back in danger, and becoming caught in the garments might cause you to slip or fall.
Adaptive makes it a lot easier to put on and take off the clothing without gnarling the fabric. Additionally, nurses are at high risk for work-related injuries, particularly back pain; therefore, doing everything you can to decrease the chances of an accident is beneficial.
Clothes that don’t keep up with the changing physical and cognitive needs of older folks can be risky. When attempting to wear non-adaptive clothing, adults may slip and fall or damage their arms or legs when removing them.
Some seniors, especially those living with dementia, may feel compelled to take off their clothes. “Anti-strip” clothing for such people isn’t new, but it’s getting much better.
8. Access for addressing surgical sites or incontinence issues
If you need to examine a surgical site or change a patient’s clothes in case of incontinence, you’ll need rapid access through their garments. There are a variety of adaptable clothing options available, including open-back styles for incontinence, immobility, Alzheimer’s and dementia dressing, and much more. The openings make it simple to check the patient without undressing them completely and replacing their garments quickly if they become dirty.
Shop here for women’s adaptive clothing. Shop here for men’s adaptive clothing.
What to Consider Before Buying Adaptive Clothing?
If you’re buying clothes for someone who has dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, consider the following points:
Must Keep Them Safe
As dementia progresses, you may notice a decline in mobility with your loved one living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. If they are spending more time in bed, they are more susceptible to developing skin sores and ulcers. In addition, if the clothes they wear are not created with their lifestyle and activities in mind, they may cause rashes and discomfort.
Clothes, buttons, and laces might lead them to become gravely trapped, causing them to panic. Therefore, choosing breathable, loose clothing with easy-to-use fasteners is critical. Velcro closures are commonly advised for kids, although caution should be exercised to ensure that it does not constantly rub against their skin.
They Should be Warm Enough
Seniors feel colder when their circulation of blood slows, and their blood vessel walls lose flexibility as they become older. In addition, people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia have been found to have lower body temperatures. As a result, clothes and specific sweaters for senior women and men should be chosen to keep them warm without overheating or leaving them feeling uncomfortable. Patients with severe dementia or Alzheimer’s disease may not be able to describe their suffering vocally; thus, this is very important.
They Should Express their Personality
Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is very detrimental as they cause memory loss and, as they progress, communication issues and interfere with daily tasks. Moreover, people might not be able to cope without a full-time caregiver in the later stages.
It’s vital to keep in mind, though, that their sickness does not determine who they are. It does not affect their relationships with their loved ones. Similarly, their previous dress choices were an extension of their own identity, and assisting them in sticking to it even now is critical to preserving their originality.
Final Words
Many seniors and caregivers find it difficult to dress themselves or their clients, even though many better solutions are available. For example, adaptive clothing is widely available these days, whether it’s to make toileting simpler for wheelchair users, make dressing easier for those with arthritis, or provide caregivers with a better method of clothing for people with limited mobility.
Adaptive shoe styles are also available. For example, the slip-on style and easy hook and loop fasteners of a footwear may appeal to people with swollen feet, blisters, and/or difficulty bending over.
Finally, adapted sleepwear and underwear are available in several styles online. Bras are often among the first items that a woman finds too tough to handle. This difficulty can be remedied by styles that clasp in the front or don’t have any closures at all, allowing for easy on and off.
Adaptive clothing may fill in the gaps where standard fashions fall short. Simple solutions utilizing different fasteners can make life simpler for elderly individuals and caregivers while preserving dignity and personal appeal. There’s no need to fight with buttons, regular sleeves, or practically impossible-to-put-on slacks when adaptive clothing is readily available.
Adaptive clothing may be a good option for your patient or loved one, whether you’re a caregiver or a family member. Contemplate these eight advantages as you explore how to make caregiving more effective, pleasant, and respectful.
