4 Ways Adaptive Clothing Benefits The Elderly Or Persons With Disabilities
In another room, you hear your elderly loved one exclaim “I can’t do this anymore!” You glance into the room. Your elderly loved one’s shoulders are slumped over and she’s holding her head in her hands. She’s managed to button two of the six buttons on her shirt, but not in their correct buttonholes. Maybe you've experienced something similar to this. Or you anticipate this happening? Either way, perhaps several questions swirl in your mind: “Is there a solution for making dressing less challenging? How about health and safety concerns? How can we preserve their dignity and independence with dressing and undressing?” In this blog, I’ll highlight how adaptive clothing can help.
Dressing is easier and faster
Adaptive clothing is designed to solve the wearer’s physical and cognitive challenges and limitations.
Accordingly, it allows some of the elderly or persons with disabilities to dress more easily and faster.
For example, magnets and Velcro™ are hidden behind buttons. If a caregiver assists them with dressing it can also be made easier and faster. The result is that it reduces frustration. There’s a feeling of accomplishment. The goal is for them to do as much as possible by themselves. It maintains independence.
The list of those experiencing challenges may include but are not be limited to:
Dementia, including Alzheimer’s
Heart attack or stroke
Varying degrees of paralysis
Back pain
Joint pain
Parkinson’s
tremors
Multiple Sclerosis
Arthritis
Edema
Neuropathy
Health/safety hazards are decreased
There are adaptive clothing pants that can be put on sitting down. This prevents the wearer from risking a fall from standing up and trying to put on pants that are challenging to put on.
For those recovering from surgery or injury to the shoulder or back injury, adaptive shirts can be put on without raising the arms.
Caregivers don’t need to lift a person or bend over a bed to roll the elderly or persons with disabilities to put their clothes on – a result of the ingenuity of adaptive clothing designers.
Adaptive footwear promotes safety. Their grip features prevent falls. There are Velcro™-type fasteners. Slipping on this footwear is a breeze. This is helpful when the wearer needs to get out of bed quickly and go to the restroom.
Preserves dignity
With adaptive clothing, incontinence is less of a challenge. For those experiencing it seconds count, when the urge to use the restroom calls. Adaptive clothing designers have solved this by placing zippers conveniently in strategic sections of the pants such as on the long side of pants or a larger area of the crotch. In addition, incontinence aids are easily accessible because of their intuitive adaptive clothing design.
Toilet transfers are easier. Some adaptive clothing is designed with a flap on the bottom.
For some, dementia may cloud their ability to read social awareness cues. They may feel the urge to disrobe in front of others without warning. Certain adaptive shirts are designed with fasteners in the middle of the back, just out of their reach, preserving their dignity.
Boosts confidence and enthusiasm
Frustration saps energy and enthusiasm. Persistent challenges can leave one discouraged. Adaptive clothing brings contentment to the process of dressing—a brighter outlook. There’s more time in the day to do the things they had planned.
Their confidence improves. They become more at ease with being around others.
Conclusion
With adaptive clothing, you are bringing ease of use and lowering frustration. That’s the chief benefit. It also promotes health and safety and preserves dignity. Take some time to peruse the resources listed in the resources list. We are not affiliated with the listed companies, nor do we benefit from you purchasing clothing from them. With their use, you assume responsibility. As always, when there is a question regarding health concerns, we recommend that you consult your medical professional. Now, what dressing/undressing challenges your elderly loved one or persons with disabilities could you help by pointing them to adaptive clothing resources?
