What is Adaptive Clothing?
Adaptive clothing is specifically designed to make it easier for people with disability to dress themselves. It has features such as button-less fastenings and Velcro straps that allow the wearer to put on clothes without help from other people or disability aids like a dressing stick or hook. The ease of putting on adaptive clothing can be life changing for someone who has trouble doing things independently. It can make them feel more confident and comfortable in their own skin, and give them back some of the independence that disability has taken away.
There are a range of adaptive clothing options available, from general everyday clothes to specialist disability wear. Whatever your needs, there is likely an adaptive clothing option that will suit you. So if you or someone you know is struggling with dressing themselves, don't be afraid to ask for help in finding adaptive clothing that will make life a little bit easier.
What is adaptive clothing?
Many people with disabilities have difficulties putting on clothes. Adaptive clothing is designed to make the process of getting dressed easier for those who are disabled or suffer from injury due to illness, disability, old age or obesity. Having different fastenings makes a world of difference to someone with a disability and can help improve their quality of life.
Since disability is such a broad term it is important to understand the different types and what they mean before looking at adaptive clothing. Disability can be physical, sensory or cognitive - this means that there are many disabilities which affect how a person moves around, their hearing and sight as well as learning difficulties like autism. Adaptive clothing can help with all of these disability types.
There are many different adaptive clothing items on the market, but some of the most common are:
- Easy to fasten clothes like zips and buttons that don’t require a lot of strength or dexterity
- Clothing in stretchy fabrics which make it easier to move around in
- Clothing with larger pockets for disability aids like hearing assistive devices or sunglasses
- Adapted clothing items like trousers that are an elasticised waist rather than a button fastening to make it easier to pull up and down.
People who require adaptive clothing may be elderly, disabled due to illness or injury, pregnant women or those suffering from obesity. It’s important to find clothes that fit well and make the person feel comfortable, as well as being practical.
Disabled people have been wearing adapted clothing for years, but it is only recently that the term ‘adaptive clothing’ has started to be used more widely. There are now adaptive clothing ranges made by almost every mainstream clothing brand.
This is great news as it means that people with disabilities have more choice when it comes to what they wear and can find something that suits their needs and makes them feel comfortable.
There are also adaptive clothing ranges made specifically for disabled people, which can be found in specialist disability shops or online. These ranges often have a wider range of sizes, as well as different designs, and are made from stretchy fabrics which make them comfortable to wear.
Adaptive clothing is a great way for disabled people to feel more confident and comfortable in their own skin. It can help to improve their quality of life by making everyday tasks easier. With the right adaptive clothing items, disability doesn’t have to stop someone from living life to the full.
Check out our beautiful adaptive bra we all need to start with the basics right!