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Self care

How to use dressing aids

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Topic: 1 of 2
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It is important to teach a person how to use dressing aids.

Explain that it can take time and practice to use dressing aids, particularly if using with one hand.

Encourage the person to do as much as they are able to themselves.

You may also need to teach the person’s caregiver or family member how to assist the person when they first start using it.

What to teach

For a person to use dressing aids more easily, support the person to:

  • Select a suitable dressing position
  • Consider how to get dressed and undressed
  • Consider using different types of clothes and shoes
  • Learn how to use the dressing aid.

Changing dressing position

A person will find it easier and less tiring to use a dressing aid if they choose a dressing position where they feel safe and able to balance well.

Sitting

If the person gets tired or has difficulty with balance start by teaching them to use the dressing aid while sitting down.

The person must be able to lift their bottom up off the seat to pull on or take off clothes.

A person sits in a chair and leans to the side to pull up trousers.

Lying down

If the person has difficulty standing and sitting, try changing position to lying down.

The person must be able to lift their bottom up off the bed or floor or be able to roll from side to side.

If the person is unable to do this, they may need:

  • Assistance to get dressed
  • A referral to a rehabilitation service.

A person lying down in bridge position to pull up trousers. Their back is on the bed with their buttocks raised slightly off the bed.

Question

Verna is assisted by her husband to transfer from her bed to a toilet chair.

Meet Verna

Verna is 89 years old and lives with her husband Leif. Verna is frail, gets tired easily and has difficulty balancing when standing up.

Verna’s husband assists her with self care activities, including getting dressed and undressed.

1. Which dressing position may be easier for Verna?

Select and click to check answers.

Standing

Incorrect.

Verna gets tired and has difficulty balancing when standing. Discuss a different position for Verna to get dressed.

Sitting

Correct!

Sitting may be less tiring for Verna. She may find it easier to balance and get dressed by herself.

Lying down

Correct!

Start by checking if Verna finds it easier sitting down. If she has difficulty with balance, she could try lying down.

Verna wants to try lying down to dress.

2. What skills does Verna need to be able to get dressed lying down?

Select two.



Click to check answer

If you selected a and b, you are correct!

Rolling from side to side or lifting her bottom are important skills if Verna is dressing lying down.

Always discuss which dressing position a person prefers.

Changing how to get dressed

If the person has a weaker or painful side, discuss different ways of dressing before teaching them to use the dressing aid.

For example, a person with weakness in one arm or leg, may find it easier to:

  • Put clothes on the weaker side first
  • Take clothes off the stronger side first.

Remember Aida?

Aida had a stroke and is weaker on her left side. She finds putting her shirt on her left arm first makes it easier to get dressed.

Activity

Dressing without using one arm:

1. Sit in a chair with one arm resting in your lap (keep this arm still throughout the activity).

2. Put on and take off a shirt (over your clothes), without using one arm.

3. Reflect:

  • What did you find difficult?
  • What helped make it easier?

4. Discuss possible solutions with your colleagues. Then try putting the shirt on again.

  • Was it easier this time?
  • Why or why not?

Click to check possible solutions

  • Slide the sleeve on the arm that is not moving first
  • Slide the sleeve all the way up to the shoulder to help move the shirt around your back
  • Lean forward to reach the shirt behind you
  • Put the moving arm into the remaining sleeve last.

Choosing different types of clothes and shoes

Some clothes and shoes are easier to get on and off. For example:

  • Clothes that are stretchy or loose
  • Clothes with zip pull rings or clothes without buttons or zips
  • Shoes without laces, such as slip on shoes or shoes with Velcro closures.

Shoe with Velcro closure.

A person uses the c shaped hook on a dressing stick to do up a zip.

Remember Samuel?

Samuel wears prescription spectacles and stands in front of his whiteboard. His board reads: have a shower, eat breakfast, remember your backpack.

Samuel is a young man who has Down syndrome. When he is getting dressed, he finds it difficult to coordinate the movements of his fingers. This makes tasks such as doing up buttons and tying his shoelaces difficult.

Samuel uses the diamond shaped hook on a button hook and zip puller to button his shirt.

Samuel uses a button hook and zip puller to do up the buttons on his shirt.

Samuel finds laces difficult to do up and undo.

His health worker encourages him to try different kinds of shoes. He finds shoes with adjustable Velcro straps much easier than laces.

Therapeutic footwear that completely covers the heel and toes.

Discussion

  • Do you know anyone who has adjusted their clothes or shoes to make them easier to get on or off?
  • Do you have any ideas on how to make clothes easier to get on or off?

Discuss these questions with your colleagues.

Using dressing aids

Reach and grab tool

Different reach and grab tools may have different features.

A hand presses the trigger of a reach and grab tool.
Press trigger to close grasping claw
A hand releasing the trigger of a reach and grab tool.
Release trigger to open grasping claw

Reach for and pull clothes on/off

A common way to use most reach and grabs tools is:

  1. Press the trigger handle to close the grasping claw
  2. Bring the item of clothing to you
  3. Pull clothing over leg and release the trigger.

A person is sitting on a chair. They hold a reach and grab tool in their right hand with the trigger handle pressed. The grasping claw grips a skirt which is on the floor.

A person is sitting on a chair. They hold a reach and grab tool in their right hand with the trigger handle pressed. The grasping claw grips a skirt which is being pulled up over the persons right leg.

A person is sitting on a chair. They hold a reach and grab tool in their right hand with the trigger handle released. Their skirt is pulled over their right leg.

When dressing and undressing:

  • Pull clothes on the weaker or less mobile leg first
  • Take clothes off the weaker or less mobile leg last.

Dressing stick

Put clothes on

Use the s shaped hook to bring clothes over the shoulder:

  1. Guide clothing up your arm
  2. Rest dressing stick on your shoulder to reach behind
  3. Hook clothes to bring them over your shoulder.

A hand holds a dressing stick with the s shaped hook at the end.

A person sitting in a wheelchair. They hold a dressing stick in their right hand. The s shaped hook guides the sleeve up the arm.

A person sitting in a wheelchair. They hold a dressing stick in their right hand. The s shaped hook lifts the sleeve over the shoulder.

Take clothes off

Use the s shaped hook to:

  • Hook the clothing off your shoulder first
  • Then remove your arm
  • Repeat on other side.

The s shaped hook can also be used to unhook clothes hanging up.

The c shaped hook can be used to pull a zip up or down.

Button hook

A person may use one or both hands when using a button hook. This depends on their abilities.

Do buttons up

Use the diamond shaped hook:

1. Pass through the buttonhole
2. Catch the button with the wider part
3. Move the button to the narrower part
4. Pull the button through the buttonhole and slide the diamond shaped hook out

Undo buttons

Use the diamond shaped hook:

1. Catch the button with the wider part and move button to the narrower part

A person holds a button hook in their right hand. They cross their arm over to the other side. The narrower part of the diamond shaped hook holds the button.

2. Cross your arm over

A person holds a button hook in their right hand. The diamond shaped hook holds the button which is pushed through the buttonhole.
3. Push the button back through the buttonhole
A person holds a button hook in their right hand. The diamond shaped hook is being pulled out through the buttonhole.
4. Point the button hook down to move button to the wider part. Remove button hook.

Zip puller

A person uses the c shaped hook on a button hook and zip puller to close a zip on a shirt.

Do up and undo zips

The opposite end of a button hook has a c shaped hook. This can be used to catch and pull a zip up or down.

Sock aid

Put sock on

You should sit down:

1. Place sock aid between your knees with the two cords at the back
2. Place sock over end of sock aid
3. Lower sock aid to the floor, using the two cords
4. Place your foot in the end of the sock
5. Pull the two cords up until the sock is fully on your foot
Tip

If the person can only use one hand, tie the cords together to lower and use the sock aid.

Take sock off

A person may use a different dressing aid to take a sock off. For example, a shoe horn or dressing stick may be used to slide the sock off their foot.

Long handle shoe horn

Put shoe on

  1. Place shoe horn against back of your shoe
  2. Rest your heel against shoe horn
  3. Push down your heel
  4. Slip your foot into your shoe and remove shoe horn.

Instruction

Watch this video to learn how to use a long handle shoe horn.

Take shoe off

  1. Place shoe horn in the back of the shoe against your heel
  2. Slide your heel up against shoe horn to remove your shoe.

Activity

In pairs, take it in turns to explain how to use a:

  • Reach and grab tool
  • Dressing stick
  • Button hook and zip puller
  • Sock aid
  • Long handle shoe horn.

Next, take it in turns to practice using each dressing aid following the steps.

Instruction

If a person has difficulty getting dressed or undressed after trying dressing aids refer the person to a rehabilitation service.