Everyone feels better when their clothes are comfortable and easy to wear. The clothing tips below give some ideas of how best to use or adapt your existing clothing, as well as advice on buying new clothing.
General Considerations
Most people with ALS spend a lot of time sitting. Therefore, it is best to choose a style of clothing with this fact in mind. Tips:
- avoid sitting on upright seams, wrinkled clothing or tight waistbands;
- clothing should be easy to put on and take off, as dressing and undressing can be tiring;
- lightweight and easy-fitting clothing is more comfortable than heavy or tight garments that offer a limited freedom of movement;
- changing the clasp can make dressing and undressing easier.
Heat
- choose layers: the air between them will keep you warm;
- start warm: make sure the bedroom is heated while you get dressed;
- the choice of fabric: quilted fabrics, wool or acrylic materials, which trap air and prevent compression.
For people who suddenly feel very hot
- choose loose-fitting clothing;
- the choice of fabric: cotton or cotton blends with a high proportion of cotton and a low proportion of man-made fibers. Absorbent fibers (such as cotton, viscose or modal) are most suitable if sweating is a problem. Avoid nylon and polyester as much as possible.
Outdoors
In cold weather, wind contributes most to the cold feeling:
- start with a warm feeling;
- cover as much of the body as possible (don’t forget the head). If a hat is uncomfortable, a thick scarf can be wrapped around the ears;
- provide as top layer a clothing piece that protects against wind and rain;
- padded wind jackets or anoraks are comfortable; if the zipper is difficult to handle, choose a jacket with a flap fastened with snaps, or where you can sew on a drawstring closure. Many jackets also have a velcro fastening;
- for wheelchair users, special waterproof capes and beanbags give good protection against the cold.
By sunny weather:
- wear a sun hat or cap.
Skirts and dresses
To look good when sitting, choose a skirt that covers your knees sufficiently. Dresses and skirts with elastic waists are easy to put on and let go when you sit. Very wide skirts can be a nuisance in wheelchairs because they can get caught in the wheels. If the closure of a skirt is difficult to handle, it can be replaced with a velcro closure.
Beautiful evening wear made from lightweight fabrics sits easily and is simple to remove when you need to go to the bathroom. Both straight and tight evening clothes are more difficult to handle.
When using the toilet, a skirt can be tucked into a belt or skirt band, or even taken between the teeth. A skip dress worn with the skip in the back is useful because it is simple to open.
For wheelchair users, a front overlap or fully buttoned style can be useful because the dress can be removed and left on the wheelchair when using the toilet.
Trousers
Trousers with narrow legs make dressing more difficult. Therefore, choose trousers with reasonably long and wide legs, because when you sit down the material always creeps up a little. Many people find a tracksuit comfortable and practical. Trousers with a fully or partially elastic waistband are the easiest to handle. Fitted styles with flat pleats in the waistband are easier to remove than those that fit tightly.
To make it easier to put on and take off trousers, put a 30-cm zipper in each side seam of the waistband. In this way, the side seams can be opened and the underwear is attached with a piece of velcro to the waistband. This makes it possible to lower the entire back of the trousers for toilet use. This means also adjusting the underwear.
The traditional men’s shirt is difficult to put on and fasten. Casual clothing made of a knit fabric stretches easily and can sometimes be worn with a tie.
Footwear
Elastic laces allow the shoes to be put on without loosening the laces. Shoes and slippers with velcro closures can be found in several stores. Slippers with socks are warm for people who do not walk.
Wide shoes with a long opening are also very easy to put on. The most important thing, of course, is that the closures are secure and the shoes or slippers give support and do not fall out when you step with them. So choose a shoe that is closed from behind, no inserts.
Closures
Velcro can be used to replace all kinds of closures. The side with the hooks is applied away from the skin because it is rougher than the side with loops. In general, the appearance is better and it is easier to handle if velcro is sewn in small pieces rather than in one long strip. Velcro can be obtained in different colors and widths.
Source : www.mndassociation.org