Posted on January 26, 2010 - by Nurse Virginia

Eldercare Tips: It continues to be Important to Nursing Home Residents to Dress Nicely and Look Good

Ask your self “Are these clothes right for this Nursing Home resident?”

Every Sunday I visit my Mother. And sometime during the visit I straighten out her closet and organize her clothes. This Sunday I found two new pieces of clothes with Mom’s name on them. The problem was that they were both sweatshirts, a piece of clothing that would be terribly difficult for a caregiver to assist my Mom to put on.

Since Mom’s stroke her left arm has become rigidly extended and fixed in place. Thus making it very difficult to assist her in dressing. Mom also has a history of eczema which can be triggered by being too warm. A sweatshirt is much more difficult to change if she gets too warm than just removing a cardigan sweater.

Clothes continue to be important for the Nursing Home resident

Whether the resident is confused or not a person’s appearance has much to do with how they are perceived. A person who continues to have coordinated clothes, their hair always done, looks and smells clean will be perceived in a more positive way.

(The following is an excerpt from: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance)

Even the small day-today things can mean so much. Mother likes to wear colored beads everyday with her outfits. We couldn’t expect the nursing assistants to keep track of her jewelry, so we installed removable adhesive hooks to the inside or her closet door within easy reach, to hang the beads on.

Mother has a standard outfit of black pants and a white or black cardigan sweater that she wears with a bright colored top and a string of beads every day. The system has proved successful because staff members no longer had to try to coordinate her clothes. Mother is happy. The staff is happy because we haven’t tried to add any additional duties for them. They can easily help her put an outfit together and it creates less stress for everyone involved.

A standing appointment in the beauty parlor every Friday helps Mother keep track of the days in the week and provides an additional opportunity to visit with other people and make more acquaintances. Mother has a simple, short, and curly hairdo. Each Sunday afternoon, I reorganize Mother’s closet as well as straighten up her room as part of her care team.

Changing Mother’s clothes seasonally and taking them home to store, as well as bringing in special seasonal outfits like her black velvet pants suit, keeps her and the staff interested in her appearance. When Mother needs new clothes I bring in catalogs and we make an occasion out of shopping.

See other blogs from this site on dressing.

Virginia Garberding, R.N.

Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois

Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance

www.pleasegettoknowme.com