Limited Ability Clothing

My family has been in the nursing care industry for all of their working life. They started with a care facility for disabled adults, many disabilities and different special needs had to be catered for.

After a number of years in this business my Nan, Mum and Aunt started a retirement care home for the elderly whilst my Father ran a nursing care home for physically and mentally disabled children. Both sides experienced problems with basic tasks like, how to safely dress someone and how to administer drugs or take bloods without causing too much pain to the patient.

These problems could have been resolved by having something as simple as clothing which can be adapted to suit the individuals needs.

Traditionally care was always given by family members, friends and neighbors but with shrinking family sizes and people waiting later to have children this is being lost. People are finding that when they are starting a family their parents also may need care, so where do you spend your time?

The family is one of the most important providers for the elderly, as they know the persons habits and comforts. Luckily some of the home caregivers for the elderly are a daughter or a granddaughter. Family and friends can provide "care in the home" (i.e. have elderly relatives live with them), help with money and shopping, or by visiting or taking them out on trips, etc.

Society is changing and more and more people are deciding to have outside nursing care, either by a live in carer or visiting nurse, or by themselves moving in to a nursing or care home. This does offer a professional level of service by fully qualified nurses who can cater for your every need, they are trained to look after people whilst also having experience in the correct ways to dress and move people with limited abilities. Sometimes this can be the easiest option, and if you have a nice, friendly and trustworthy care home then you can still have a happy home which is just as important. Even though nurses will have the knowledge and experience to offer high quality care they will often have more than one person to care for. In this kind of environment you need all the time saving devices you can get.

Impaired mobility is a major health concern for older adults, affecting around fifty percent of people over 85 and at least a quarter of those over 75. As adults lose the ability to walk, to climb stairs, and to rise from a chair, they become completely disabled. The problem cannot be ignored because people over 65 constitute the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population. As you start to lose some abilities it's advisable to find the alternatives to make life easier.

Image: Last Station Nursing Home

Do you stay at home because you find dressing too difficult? Don't miss out, there is help out there. Some people live alone, they may have lost someone close who they initially relied on. They may have always been alone and normally been independent and confident, but age affects us all in all manner of ways. Some people can diminish very quickly depending on their condition and if they have no one to care for them they could find the most simple tasks, like dressing a real problem.

They say that if you have a positive outlook on life then you will have positive things happen, if this is true then it must unfortunately be the same for the opposite. The longer you struggle with things and feel there is no point it can become the "norm" and before long you are spending day after day at home not even getting dressed because it's so time consuming and tiring. This is not only removing exercise and basic body functions which can lead to muscle wasting, but can also remove your feeling of stature and pride.

Alzheimer's and Dementia

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, it affects more than 410,000 people in the UK and 5.3 Million in the U.S.A. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, gradually over time, more parts of the brain are damaged. As this happens, the symptoms become more severe. Adaptive Alzheimer clothing has been designed to allow the individual to dress without ever having to stand, this eliminates any difficult lifting or painful handling of the patient.

Dementia associated with Alzheimer's can cause sufferers to disrobe or undress, this could be due to the part of the brain which controls how we perceive acceptable behavior. Adaptive clothing can combat this by offering back opening closures and a variety of Anti-strip garments.

Multiple Sclerosis

Few of us realize the difficulty of doing up a button until either it's too late or we have to do it for someone else. Even tying your shoe lace can be an impossible task with physical limitations. Velcro can be a suitable alternative to buttons, zips or clasps. Adaptive clothing allows people with painful muscles and joints to easily manipulate and adjust their clothing while dressing or undressing. Sufferers can also experience swollen or painful feet which can be uncomfortable and wearing shoes will just cause more problems. Adaptive shoes are soft and pliable and often have Velcro fastenings, giving the wearer complete control whilst easing pressure.

Incontinence

Incontinence can be an embarrassing and difficult situation for everyone involved and one which unfortunately can happen anytime. Adaptive clothing for incontinence has been designed to suit different needs. From open back for easy pad changing, side opening for quick changing, also available in completely water-proof material. Perfect for wheelchair users.

Stroke

Stroke looks soon to be the leading cause of death Worldwide and is the leading cause of adult disability in the United States of America and Europe. Having a stroke can mean you lose the ability to use certain parts of the body, this makes it harder to do tasks usually taken for granted, like doing up buttons or shoe laces. With adaptive clothing you can maintain independence and dignity without a long and painful struggle, as clothing has been designed to aid and assist Stroke sufferers.

Oedema or Edema

Edema (US) or Oedema (UK) is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body, which leads to swelling. Adaptive clothing for edema (oedema) is made of extra soft material to protect the skin from rough contact. Openings for arms and legs are wider so there is no pain from tight restricting legs or sleeves, normally people buy clothes too big to give extra room but this is just uncomfortable and bulky. Tailored to your specific requirements this clothing can give you what you need to lead a comfortable life. Velcro attachments can be offered so you will have no pressure from clasps or zips causing bruising or skin damage.

Wheelchair clothing

Designed specifically for wheelchair users. The patient can be dressed or undressed in the seated position, giving minimal maneuvering and discomfort. A very rapid alternative for care home staff and home carer's. Changing of clothes and incontinence pads is quick and easy as it all can be done without lifting, no more lifts or hoists.

Most hairdressers use gowns or capes which are back opening. The client will put their arms through the sleeves in the front which means they do not have to lift or bend their arms too much. These gowns have been used for many years and most people don't think about the advantages of how easy they are to wear, people are so used to them they don't actually consider they have even been wearing them.

If you have an elderly relative you have to care for, you may already know how problematic and time consuming dressing can be. If your relative is in a retirement home think of the time which could be saved using simple clothing designed to help the nurse or carer. Imagine have 30 plus patients to dress everyday and change when accidents happen, how much time would that take?

Adaptive clothing is also a great way for treatments like blood taking, insulin or if they have a drip to carry. Simple, discreet openings can easily be accessed for medical care to be given. Lifting is reduced or completely removed, meaning the risk of a patient or relative falling and causing injury is minimized.

Buttons, zips, toggles and clasps can cause pressure injuries or sores when being laid or sat on for long periods of time. Adaptive clothing can help reduce or even stop this due to the way the clothing is crafted to suit your body and it's abilities. No longer will you have to be uncomfortable when trying to relax or enjoy yourself, these amazing clothes have concealed seams and attachments so you will be free from nasty bruises and pressure injuries.

Some people have to have a catheter or drip which they must continually wear, it can be very difficult to find clothes which accommodate these whilst maintaining a presentable look. The tubes and wires can lift clothes and stretch garments in unsightly ways, adaptive clothing is designed to work with your own unique requirements, and are bespoke to ensure no clothes bunching.

Patients can need frequent injections in their legs which can be stressful if the carer has to lift the person and take their trousers off every couple of hours. Trousers with a side opening can help this stress, by opening the Velcro closure injections can be given quickly and with little or no discomfort to the patient.

Dignity, dignity is something we all wish to keep. No one wants to lose the ability to maintain their look and appearance, the longer we can stay independent the better. Adaptive clothing gives the wearer the ability to easily use garments on their own, where they may not have been able to before. Dressing can be a stressful, uncomfortable and even a painful experience, all of these contribute to an eventual loss of dignity as the patient can lose interest in dressing and become withdrawn.

Adaptive clothing gives the wearer the chance to maintain their independence for longer and gives them the peace of mind and control over their own dressing habits. Easy to use catches and discreet, hidden Velcro closures ensures people with limited abilities can operate all items of clothing themselves without the help of others.

None of us want to be in a position where we can't do things which we have been doing for most of our lives, surely we want to keep our abilities, our dignity and our independence.

Image: derricksphotos

Presentation is maintained as all adaptive clothing is custom made to your size and abilities. Clothing can be suited to your own specific needs so you can ensure you are always looking your best.

Clothing has progressed and keeps doing so everyday, adaptive clothing is no exception. With a growing population it is inevitable that as the years go by there will also be an increase in the number of the elderly. This is why adaptive clothing is constantly looking for new ways to deal with issues and improve on products, to ensure peoples needs are catered for in this growing age range. New designs and materials are available, you can always find something fashionable and flattering.

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