Managing Dressing without Stressing from ALZHEIMERS Foundation
How to dress with success? From selecting outfits to putting them on correctly, individuals with Alzheimer's disease often face challenges when it comes to dressing and undressing, especially as the disease advances. They may face difficulties with decision-making or problems with balance and motor skills, or forget the dressing process entirely. The following are a few strategies to help individuals affected by Alzheimer's disease dress--with success:
- One step at a time. Try to allow the individual to dress as independently as possible, but intervene when challenges are too great. Be very specific with instructions and gently suggest one task at a time while using gestures to simulate each motion. For example, rather than say, "Get dressed," instruct your loved one to put one pant leg on at a time while demonstrating the motion. Rushing will cause unnecessary anxiety and frustration.
- Make a routine. For consistency, schedule dressing at the same time of day, and put out clothing in the same order. It is most effective to dress the upper body first.
- Avoid confusion. Limit choices to two possible outfits, and try stocking multiples of the individual's favorite ones.
- Keep it complimentary. Be reassuring instead of critical and argumentative even if the individual has worn the outfit repeatedly or the articles don't match.
- Dress appropriately. Select clothing that is weather-appropriate and has elastic fitted waists instead of zippers, select shirts with buttons in the front versus the back, and ensure that pants are the proper length to prevent falls.
- Happy Feet. Make sure shoes provide adequate support, and select shoes or sneakers instead of slippers. To prevent falls, purchase footwear with crepe or rubber soles.
- One step at a time. Try to allow the individual to dress as independently as possible, but intervene when challenges are too great. Be very specific with instructions and gently suggest one task at a time while using gestures to simulate each motion. For example, rather than say, "Get dressed," instruct your loved one to put one pant leg on at a time while demonstrating the motion. Rushing will cause unnecessary anxiety and frustration.
- Make a routine. For consistency, schedule dressing at the same time of day, and put out clothing in the same order. It is most effective to dress the upper body first.
- Avoid confusion. Limit choices to two possible outfits, and try stocking multiples of the individual's favorite ones.
- Keep it complimentary. Be reassuring instead of critical and argumentative even if the individual has worn the outfit repeatedly or the articles don't match.
- Dress appropriately. Select clothing that is weather-appropriate and has elastic fitted waists instead of zippers, select shirts with buttons in the front versus the back, and ensure that pants are the proper length to prevent falls.
- Happy Feet. Make sure shoes provide adequate support, and select shoes or sneakers instead of slippers. To prevent falls, purchase footwear with crepe or rubber soles.