Adaptive clothing is designed to assist people with disability to dress independently. Adaptive clothing can range from simple adaptations of standard items of clothing, through to specially designed garments.
Workplace solutions and adjustments
Part of being successful within the workplace includes maintaining appropriate levels of self care, including dressing appropriately for the role within the workplace. There are a range of strategies and products that can assist people with disability to manage dressing both at work and home. Some of the products that can assist a person to dress more easily and independently include:
- button hooks which enable the person to pull a button through a button hole one handed
- dressing sticks which are long sticks with a hook on the end to assist the person to dress
- long handled shoe horns which enable a person to pull on a shoe without bending down
- sock and stocking aids which enable the person to put a sock onto the aid, drop it to the floor, put the foot into the aid and use the long tapes on the side to pull the sock or stocking on
- zip pulls which lengthen the zipper to make it easier to grip.
Some other strategies that can assist a person to dress more easily and independently include:
- consider wearing clothes with elastic waistbands to avoid needing to do buttons and zips
- dressing immobile limbs before mobile limbs
- elastic shoe laces
- sewing loops onto clothing to enable the individual to pull the item of clothing up easier or use a dressing hook
- using Velcro as a fastener rather than buttons or zips
- sitting down to dress
- wearing loose fitting clothes to enable easier access to armholes and head holes.
There are also now companies who are able to provide customised clothing that suit the person’s needs in order for the person to dress either independently or with assistance.
Information that may be useful when considering products which enable people who have disability to maintain independence can be found at the following links:
References
Easywear Australia 2004, Specialising in Adaptive Clothing for Assisted and Independent Dressing Needs, Easywear Australia, Perth, viewed 7 February 2011, http://www.easywearaustralia.com.au/.
Independent Living Centres Australia Inc. 2007, Clothing and Dressing, Independent Living Centres Australia Inc., Sydney, viewed 7 February 2011, http://www.ilcaustralia.org/home/search2.asp?State=NSW&MC=12.
LifeTec Queensland (no date specified), Dressing and Grooming Equipment, LifeTec Queensland, Brisbane, viewed 7 February 2011, http://www.lifetec.org.au/_uploads/factsheets/DressingandGroomingEquipment_elec.pdf.