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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,490
Registered: ‎06-24-2011

I recently noticed that Tommy Hilfiger has stylish moderately priced adaptive clothing to help make dressing easier for those with physical challenges, disabilities, arthritis, etc. A couple that I clicked on (at Macy's website) had magnetic closures rather than buttons or zippers. My mom was in a wheelchair the last couple years of her life, and I think she would've have appreciated this apparel.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,788
Registered: ‎08-18-2016

A Google search for "adaptive clothing" shows many style, brand, and price options are available now.

 

When I shopped for this type of apparel 40 years ago it was slim pickins.

Family members would often get out the stitch-ripper and sewing machine, and made their own adaptations.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,597
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

I have scleroderma and pretty much have lost almost all the dexterity in my hands. Over the span of about sixteen years of living with this, I have become quite an inventor of sorts. I also visit the scleroderma dot org website for inspiration and to find places to shop for adaptive clothing as well as things I use everyday. Life without the use of your hands is hard to imagine but I have struggled through the hardest part and that was when I first realized that I could no longer hold a fork and knife like I use to. But now that hard part is over, I can put away some hefty amounts of my favorite food by just doing it a little differently these days.Smiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,482
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@SilleeMee wrote:

I have scleroderma and pretty much have lost almost all the dexterity in my hands. Over the span of about sixteen years of living with this, I have become quite an inventor of sorts. I also visit the scleroderma dot org website for inspiration and to find places to shop for adaptive clothing as well as things I use everyday. Life without the use of your hands is hard to imagine but I have struggled through the hardest part and that was when I first realized that I could no longer hold a fork and knife like I use to. But now that hard part is over, I can put away some hefty amounts of my favorite food by just doing it a little differently these days.Smiley Happy


@SilleeMee I love your attitude and your presistence at problem solving!  You inspire many people!  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,917
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@SilleeMee i have a friend whose daughter lost her legs and all fingers except thumbs from a bacterial infection.She is just finishing with rehab and will be moving into her own place.Do you have any helpful tips that I could pass along.I think it will be a difficult transition until she finds some innovative ways to get the day to day tasks done.I don’t think she will be able to afford much help and she lives alone.She is in a wheelchair but hopes for prostetic legs.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,597
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

@dex wrote:

@SilleeMee i have a friend whose daughter lost her legs and all fingers except thumbs from a bacterial infection.She is just finishing with rehab and will be moving into her own place.Do you have any helpful tips that I could pass along.I think it will be a difficult transition until she finds some innovative ways to get the day to day tasks done.I don’t think she will be able to afford much help and she lives alone.She is in a wheelchair but hopes for prostetic legs.


 

 

@dex 

I'm very sorry that happened to your friend's daughter. When I became physically challenged, I was advised by my friends and the medical community to reach out to some kind of support group. At first I was hesitant to do this because I was afraid and never did anything like that before. But once I joined then things weren't as bad as I thought they were and I realized that I still had lots to do and give in life. I made it a point to keep my mind set on "I can do this" instead of "I can't do that". It's finding my way around obstacles, be it big or small, that keeps me going. I've accepted the things I cannot do anymore because of my physical limitations and with that there have been many new doors in my life that have opened. I've had to literally throw out my previous lifestyle and start over again. The hardest part of that was letting go of things I once thought I could never live without. Now it's more about finding my life without having things in it. Smiley Happy

 

I never used to wear pull-on pants or jeans. Now I've come to love them.

I used to hate velcro anything. Now I can't live without it.

I always thought I had to wear tops with buttons on them to look nice. Now I wear tops with fake buttons and, really, who cares. 

I had to buy a new car. The old one I had trapped me inside it one day because I couldn't un-do the seat belt and I had to scream at a guy in the Walmart parking lot to come over and release me...LOL! Woman LOL That was the straw.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,917
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@SilleeMee @I am copying your post for her to read...you are really a wonderful person and I admire you for your caring and positive attitude.So happy to hear from someone that knows how to make lemonade.

i like what you said about finding your way around obstacles instead of focusing on what you can’t do.There will always be a new way to get things done if a person sets their mind to it and gets a little creative.I think my friends daughter will love your post.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,597
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Adaptive Clothing

[ Edited ]

@dex Oh thank you!Heart You are a very sweet person and I can tell by what you write on this forum that it's true. Please let your friend's daughter know that I will pray for her to get through this difficult time. But this, too, shall pass and when it does it makes you a stronger person with a deeper appreciation of the blessingsSmiley Happy in life we once took for granted.