<p>I need help! My mother needs clothes; she is mostly immobile, mostly bedridden. I’m assuming that clothing that’s easy for nursing staff to put on her is more desirable than stuff that’s difficult to get on her. (Brilliant insight on my part, I know…) What that might be, I don’t know. Tops that zip or button up or pullover shirts? Stretch pants? She doesn’t need much, but she does need some things, especially warm things. Range of motion is limited; she’s old, bent, arthritic.</p>
<p>Suggestions/sources/ideas would be very much appreciated; thanks!</p>
<p>Sweat pants are good. They come in different weight fabrics. My mom is in a nursing home, but still functions on a higher level. She had lots of Alfred Dunner outfits, and if my brother buys her clothes, that is what he gets for her. She is still able to dress herself with little or no help.</p>
<p>I would ask the staff if they have any suggestions. They know how much your mom can help in the dressing process.</p>
<p>I’ve spent enough time in nursing homes to observe a trend in clothing… what you’ve mentioned above about covers it all. I see lots of sweats - tops and bottoms. I would say pullovers are easier than anything that buttons. Also, any pants that don’t require a zipper or buttons. That can be sweatpants and/or slacks with just an elastic waistband. Don’t think that just because sweats are best, that you can’t inject a little style in them - there’s some cheap Walmart stuff, and there are nicer manufacturers whose stuff probably washes up better. That would be another thing to consider - how it will withstand washing based on who does the laundry. Sometimes the facilities do the laundry, but sometimes family takes the dirty clothes home once or week or so and does it. If you’re doing it, you can probably go with some pieces that might be OK for you to wash, but may not hold up as well in commercial machines over time.</p>
<p>Alfred Dunner is the popular choice of a family invalid, too, for the dressing up days. Sweats are seen as undesirable by her DH, not something that is done by their generation, but with the way people in wheelchairs tend to run cold, nice soft sweats seem like a good choice. Perhaps more stylish would be yoga hear, but make sure nothing is a hipster or it won’t fit over the depends and will be difficult to keep pulled all the way up.</p>
<p>I also noticed the DH did not want to increase the size when she gained weight, as she had never been that larger size, but it was very difficult to pull up the pants when standing, let alone thinking about how they would dig in when sitting- go with a larger not smaller size as things bind more when sitting</p>
<p>My MIL was a clever lady, but bent over in her final months; thin and often cold.</p>
<p>She took her slips (from when she used to wear dresses) and cut them at the waist. These made a nice “chemise” as she called it, and easily slipped over to provide an undershirt layer between her own skin and the pullover tops. </p>
<p>She gave up on regular socks and preferred slipper-socks with traction bottoms (from prior surgeries) or
some nice sheepskin pull-on slipper mocassins. Shoes became unnecessary (laces, zippers…why?)</p>
<p>If your mom’s fingers are arthritic, avoid shirt buttons and zippers. </p>
<p>A shawl-neck cardigan sweater with a tie-belt and loops might be easier for her to open and close than the sweaters with a zillion buttons down the front. Think “gross motor” rather than “fine motor.”</p>
<p>I was going to suggest Alfred Dunner, too, but see that others beat me to it. Be sure and buy things that are easy to wash and don’t need ironing, as the nursing homes or commercial laundries won’t read the care labels.</p>
<p>My mom always buys the Lands End knit pants for my aunt. They are comfortable and a little dressier looking than sweatpants. You can also get coordinating tops.</p>
<p>I agree. Lands End knit pants will give her the feeling that she is dressed and not just hanging around in sweat pants. Also, they won’t be binding around her ankles the way some sweatpants are because of the elastic at the ankles. They’re soft and easy to wash–no ironing necessary. Top it off with some simple knit pullover tops.</p>
<p>Also, don’t forget socks with little rubbery traction strips on the bottom. </p>
<p>Does she have a couple of cozy fleece throws? It’s always nice to have a colorful throw for warmth or for a bit of coverage when sitting in a recliner chair or wheelchair.</p>
<p>I second Singersmom07:
When my MIL went into nursing care I ordered from Buck and Buck too.
They are terrific for elderly who need help as well as the nursing staff who offers the help.</p>
<p>When my mom fell and went into a nursing home, I went to Target and Walmart and found nice, coordinated track suits with t-shirts that matched. By track suit, I mean a sweat pant / hoodie combo with sweat pants that hung like pants without an elastic band at the ankle. The nursing staff loved them because they were easy to get on and off and laundered easily. My mother normally wore Prada but she had to admit the clothes were fine. (I didn’t know Prada made track suits until I dug through her closet to find something she could wear. The nursing staff it would never last through the laundry.)</p>
<p>From a hospice nurse who has also done CNA care one thing to remember is the ease in putting on tops. If someone is truly bedbound then tops that zip up the front or loose tops that are easy to get over the head and have plenty of give to get arms in sleeves is important.
For patients who are not getting up at all and are at home we sometimes suggest that families cut favorite nightgowns down the back so they can be worn with minimal difficulty for families to put on.
Best resource for what works best in type of clothing is the care staff at the facility.
Ellen</p>
<p>We bring gifts to residents of a local nursing home for Christmas. I am not sure if their wish lists are made by themselves or the staff helps them, but one very common request is for sweatshirts…followed closely by stuffed animals :)</p>
<p>Another shout-out to Buck & Buck. Mother-in-law is 99 (!) and this catalog is perfect for her. She too is wheel-chair bound, always cold, and there are many items from this catalog that the family has purchased for her over the years. When her feet were swollen, the velcro-topped “shoes” were a blessing, for example.</p>
<p>Anyway, the quality is good and customer service responsive. Trying to buy useful things from far away can be tough, but this catalog made it easy.</p>