Hi there! My name’s Jill, and I’ve been a caregiver at a nursing home for about nine years now. Personally, I love the job. But there are parts of it that can be difficult. Getting residents dressed and undressed is one of the biggest issues.

It’s not just because it’s difficult, holding an 85-year-old up while you try and wrestle on a pair of pants isn’t for the weak of heart. It’s that I can feel residents getting more embarrassed and uncomfortable the more I struggle.

I’ve really started to believe that the best way I can help the people I care for is to tell my colleagues, and their loved ones about the adaptive clothing that really helps. So that’s what I’m here to do, share my favorite adaptive apparel options, and give you a little head-start on wardrobe prep.

Best Adaptive Clothing for Seniors: My Picks

When you’re dressing seniors every day, you learn pretty quickly which clothes make life easier, and which ones make it a fight. We’ve obviously got all the basics at my nursing home, like gowns and slippers. When the residents actually want to dress up, or venture into the garden, that’s when we start relying on the adaptive wear families bring in.

Unfortunately, most people don’t really know what to look for. So here’s a bit of inspiration.

Best Adaptive Bra: Liberare Everyday Easy-On Bra

You’d be surprised how many people don’t realize adaptive bras are a thing until they need one. I’ll tell you from experience, most older ladies just can’t work a traditional bra, and they hate asking us caregivers for help, especially when getting the bra on takes forever.

I’ve honestly experimented with quite a few adaptive bras, but my favorites are the ones from Liberare. In particular, I recommend the Everyday Easy-On bra as the go-to for just about anyone.

There are a few things I (and my residents) love about it. First, it’s got a front-closure, which makes life a lot easier for both me and them. Secondly, that closure still has clips (so it doesn’t just pop open, and feels secure). But it also has embedded magnets that help guide the clasp together.

A couple of my residents have even been able to get this bra on or off by themselves. That’s a big deal, since most of them are suffering with arthritis or some other mobility issue.

On top of that, this bra is super soft, it’s supportive, and its adjustable. It doesn’t feel or look like a flimsy medical bra, which really helps to give the ladies I look after some confidence back.

If you have an older woman in your family that needs more comfort, or has extra sensitive skin, I’d recommend checking out the Liberare Comfort Sculpt bra too. It’s the same in a lot of ways to the Everyday Easy-On (same magnetic clasp), but it’s even softer, and has wider shoulder straps.

 

 

 

Best Adaptive Shirt: Joe & Bella Magnetic Shirts

Shirts can be sneaky. They seem simple, but for someone with limited mobility, even “easy” ones can be a real struggle. Most of my residents can’t handle buttons, and they don’t feel particularly well-covered in wrap-around shirts when they’re outdoors.

That’s why I really like the Joe & Bella magnetic shirts. They don’t look like adaptive apparel really, just normal blouses or t-shirts. But like most of the best adaptive clothing for seniors, they have a secret. The buttons are magnetic.

That means they just pop together, and stay closed without an issue. Most of the ladies I’ve worked with love the everyday magnetic button blouse. It looks great, and is made with gorgeous silky material. Plus, there’s plenty of space in the arm holes and cuffs.

For men, the short-sleeve Everyday Magnetic Shirt is hard to beat. It’s really handsome looking, and the fabric is super breathable, which is a nice bonus.

These options are a little pricey, so I’d recommend shopping around for some budget options for most days. But if you want to treat a loved one to something luxurious, you can’t go wrong here.

Best Adaptive Pants: Silvert’s Soft Knit Open-Back Pants

Silverts is a company I’ve encountered quite a few times, looking for the best adaptive clothing for seniors, even for my own mom. They do some things well, and others not so much. I don’t really like their adaptive bra, but their open-back soft knit pants are fantastic for women with incontinence issues, and similar problems.

They’ve got a super stretchy elastic waistband, and the cloth section that hangs over the back snaps closed with secure buttons. If you don’t need an open back, Silverts offers quite a few options without that feature too, usually in a bunch of different colors and sizes.

There are a lot of great men’s options with the same elements too. I really like the Easy Touch side zip pants with a catheter access slot for residents in recovery.

Honestly, most of these options aren’t particularly glamorous, but they are comfortable, and easy to get on and off, which is what counts most when you’re shopping for a lot of seniors.

Best Adaptive Nightwear: Dignity Pajamas

If you’ve ever tried changing someone into pajamas at the end of a long day, you know it’s not always the peaceful wind-down it should be.

By bedtime, most of my residents are tired. Their joints are stiff, their energy is low, and the idea of lifting arms or stepping into bottoms is overwhelming, for them and me. That’s why Dignity Pajamas are a staple in our facility.

There are a lot of different choices. My top pick for women is the Home Care Line wrap nightgown. It opens fully in the back and wraps around the front. The material is lovely and breathable, and honestly, it looks really nice too. I usually pair this with a Comfort Sculpt bra from Liberare for my residents who like to sleep in their bras.

For men, I’m a big fan of the open-back men’s 3-pack. It does feel a little like a hospital gown in design, but from the front, it just looks like regular PJs. The Velcro closures on the shoulders are really easy to use, although they can get gummed up in the wash if you’re not careful.

Best Adaptive Footwear: Friendly Shoes

Last, but not least: shoes. To be honest, my residents don’t wear “proper” shoes that much. They tend to be fine in their slippers, even if they’re just wandering around in the garden. But some like to go out on trips with family, and then getting shoes on and off becomes a headache.

Friendly Shoes is one of my favorite brands to recommend to families looking for the best adaptive clothing for seniors for a few reasons. First it focuses exclusively on shoes, just like Liberare focuses on bras, which means you’re buying from a brand that knows their stuff.

It also offers a lot of different styles and colors for residents with different preferences. The women in my nursing home are big fans of the Coast Pink women shoe, with its zip fastening and “mock laces”.

Men tend to go for the Voyage collection, which has similar features but a more masculine design. Both have padded heel collars and tongues, anti-slip outsoles, and extra wide openings to make dressing easier. They’re also wonderfully breathable.

The Best Adaptive Clothing For Seniors: Made Simple

I could probably spend all day talking about dozens of different types of adaptive apparel. Which sounds a little sad when I think about it. But I don’t want to bore you. Hopefully, the ideas I’ve shared here have given you a starting point to work with if you want to add some easier, more comfortable, and more dignified clothing options to your loved ones’ wardrobe.

Remember, adaptive clothing doesn’t just make life easier for caregivers, it has an impact on the residents too. They feel and look more like themselves, and they don’t have to dread the start and end of every day, just because dressing is a chore.