We all agree that choosing suitable clothing for seniors can be a tricky affair. Simply because they have come of age doesn’t mean that their fashion sense comes to an end.
You can make intelligent choices when buying clothing for seniors living in retirement communities to help them not feel left out. While considering the sense of fashion, you must also ensure that they feel comfortable in whichever space they are as it affects them differently. Below is a guide to help you know how to do it.
1. Physical Comfort
In your senior years, your body is weaker than when you were younger. The type of clothing and fabric matters more when buying clothes for seniors because they may need extra protection from the elements.
Looser clothes allow for more mobility and comfort as seniors get around their homes or communities, while softer clothes irritate their skinless. It is unfair only to choose heavy clothing simply because they are getting older, which might lead them to overheat in harsh conditions.
2. Personality
Everyone has unique traits that can only be linked to them. The whole idea is to retain their identity even when buying them clothes. Some people might enjoy loud, colorful patterns, while others prefer more subdued styles. Therefore, it is important to select pieces that reflect who they are and what they stand for even when purchasing clothing. Eventually, they will enjoy wearing them even more.
3. Social Comfort
It is unfair to think that seniors don’t care about how they look in front of people. We have seen many occasions where people have felt embarrassed when moving around or interacting with others due to a wrong choice of clothing.
How well you’re able to interact with people in a social setting also raises your self-esteem. However, your choice of clothing can still be stylish but still not distractive the people you’re interacting with.
It’s hard not to think about the first impression others get when they see you. People have a way of judging your character or addressing you in a certain way based on what you’re wearing. Again, this is not an issue for seniors, but at the end of the day, if it helps raise your self-esteem, then why not consider it when helping out a senior?
4. Safety
As we all know, one of the top causes of senior accidents is caused by falls. Therefore, when choosing the clothing, you must keep this in mind. Since most senior’s mobility is limited, you must choose something that is comfortable and still prevents them from such hazards. Consider some of these some safety precautions when buying them:
- Non-slip shoes
- Flame-resistant clothing
- Hip-protector under clothing- Mostly help absorb shock in case of a fall and prevent fractures
- Fitting clothes which to prevent them from entangling somewhere resulting to a fall
5. Senior’s Independence
Just because senior living in a retirement community or is under care doesn’t mean that you should take all of their decisions away from them. Maintaining their independence as they get older is a valuable way that they keep their sense of pride and self-esteem.
Therefore, try as much as possible to involve them in making suggestions about what they like. If their choice doesn’t seem like a great fit based on various factors, suggest other clothing styles without forcing. In the end, it makes it fun and builds conversation.
6. Convenience
In comfort, convenience follows. Some seniors, more so those who suffer from urinary incontinence example, their bladders are out of control. Therefore, it will be unfair not to think about that when buying clothing for them. At times, it can get out of control, and it even lowers their self-esteem even more, when people stay away from them in a social setting.
The two most basics to selecting their clothing are:
- Picking clothes that can withstand frequent washing
- Picking clothes that can easily be removed when they want to use the washroom. Preferably those without zippers and buttons but have a stretch elastic waistband instead.
Additionally, you can get some extra urinary incontinence products to help them carry on with their daily activities without worry. In the long run, we want to make sure that their self-esteem is not taken away.
7. Ease in Wearing
In any senior setting, you will spot some clothing that they wear often. At times, it may not be because it is their favorite, but the ease to put them on. You may even try to take it away, and they ask for it simply because they can easily wear them. In this era where people have a high fashion sense, it can’t be hard to get clothes that seniors can put on.
In this case, clothing with tiny buttons or zippers is not the best. Even if you want them to maintain their fashion sense, get them clothes that they can comfortably wear. That way, their hygiene will also remain intact.
8. Ease in Laundry
Everyone has a particular garment that they don’t like to wear simply because washing it is a hassle. The garment may be unique, but it doesn’t matter. Imagine adding the same stress to a senior who has very little energy left? Therefore, when choosing clothing for them, choose a durable but soft fabric that you can easily clean even in a senior care environment.
9. Frequent Wardrobe Upgrade
In a senior’s age bracket, a lot of changes are bound to happen, especially physically. Often, seniors lose weight due to many other factors, which are mainly health-related. Therefore, just like you do for yourself, you will need to frequent upgrades to match their physical changes. If they live in a retirement community, it won’t be hard to notice these changes once they happen.
Shopping for clothes for a senior can be tricky, only that it demands a few details of special attention. However, this shouldn’t deter you from keeping them away from the good stuff. Luckily, these days, there are many shops with clothing experts where you can purchase them. To top it all up, they will advise you on the best pieces to take home.
