If you, or anyone you know, is living with limited mobility or other issues that hinder or affect movement, dressing aids could help. They can provide much-needed support and help to reduce uncomfortable twisting, bending or stretching when getting dressed.
This guide covers everything you need to know about dressing aids, including what they are, why you might need to use them, and the different types available.
What are dressing aids?
The purpose of dressing aids are exactly as the term suggests – they are aids, usually small items, that are designed to help you dress yourself if you’re otherwise having problems doing so.
If you’re living with a health condition or limited mobility, twisting your arm to put a sweater on, or reaching down to put your feet through the legs of your trousers and then pulling them up to your waist, can be far from easy.
Dressing aids can help you to maintain, or regain, some independence when getting dressed, whether that’s putting on items of clothing or shoes. These might be tasks you’d otherwise need help from someone else with, but using a dressing aid helps you to do them for yourself.
Why would I need dressing aids?
If you’re finding any particular aspect of getting yourself dressed without help, you might benefit from using dressing aids. Some types of movement might be painful. Bending down to pull socks onto your feet, perhaps, could be challenging if stretching is problematic for you.
For other people, undoing or doing up buttons on shirts or blouses can be tricky, especially if you have limited dexterity in your hands and fingers.
If you’re living with any of these issues, you might consider using a dressing aid:
- Struggling with balance or feeling dizzy when you’re bending to put shoes and socks on, or when stretching
- Limited dexterity in your hands and/or fingers, reduced ability to grip, swollen hands – caused by arthritis or other conditions
- Painful joints – knees, shoulders, elbows – that reduce flexibility and make it difficult to move freely
- Back pain when standing up, or breathlessness
Types of dressing aids
There are a wide range of dressings aids – each designed to help with a specific need – which make the particular movement you’re struggling with easier to do. If you’re thinking of using a dressing aid, before you buy anything, you should give some thought to how and where you need the support.
Some of the most popular types of dressing aids include:
Dressing sticks
Dressing sticks are one of the most common dressing aids available and are designed for multiple purposes. Not only does a dressing stick give you additional reach, it also features a hook on one, or both, ends to help you position your clothing, making getting dressed less challenging.
Some dressing aids, such as the Dressing Stick Deluxe, also feature a handy hook that can be used for zips or helping to pull up trousers, shoes and other items of clothing by hooking through the belt loops and tags.
Button hooks
Fastening and unfastening buttons can be fiddly at the best of times, but especially troublesome if your hands and fingers either aren’t as nimble as they used to be, or because of limited mobility due to a health condition.
Thankfully, the solution comes in the form of a button hook – a small and affordable piece of equipment designed to reduce the occurrence of pain and frustration during your dressing routine. With a large handle and a straightforward design, simply push the button hook through the buttonhole and fit the end around the button. You can then pull the button gently back through the hole to fasten your clothing – ingenious!
Zipper aids
Again, if you’re living with limited dexterity in your fingers, pulling zips up and down can be difficult – much like holding buttons. If you can’t grip a zip very well, zipper aids are simple devices that make it much easier. Some, like Zipper Aids, is just a large loop that is easy to hold and use, and attaches to zips. Others are incorporated into button hooks, giving you a 2-in-1 dressing aid. If you need the help of a zipper aid, the chances are you’ll need a button hook, too.
Leg lifters
If you find it painful or uncomfortable to move your legs, a leg lifter can really help. Leg lifters are used to position legs to help put shoes and socks on. They’re usually a stick-like device with a loop at one end, which goes over the foot, enabling you to then move your leg up. This means you can bring your foot up to the shoe instead of bending down. Leg lifters are also useful when getting out of bed and transferring to a chair or wheelchair.
So, there you have it - if you’re struggling to get yourself dressed, help is at hand. Explore our full range of dressing aids here. For more daily living aids and solutions, click here.