Caretakers often face the challenges of dressing immobile patients. For many years, the fashion industry forgot about the needs of people with disabilities. Thanks to the rising number of innovative clothing manufacturers, medical professionals and patients now have a wild variety of adaptive clothing items to choose from. Elastic waist pants, magnetic closure shirts, open-back tops, and hospital gowns are tailored for the needs of people living with reduced mobility. Special clothing for bedridden patients may help to prevent bedsores.
What is adaptive clothing?
Patients with severe disabilities who find it challenging to dress without assistance often experience high levels of distress. Adaptive clothing, which is designed for people with differing levels of disability, may help patients dress independently. The benefits of special needs clothing include:
- Clothing for bedridden patients may reduce the risk of pressure ulcers.
- Special needs clothing can prevent back and shoulder injuries.
- Adaptive clothing may help the patient to dress without the assistance of a caregiver.
- Flat seams are commonly used in special needs clothing items to reduce friction and prevent skin irritation.
Stages of pressure injuries
Pressure injuries, also known as bedsores and pressure ulcers, occur when the skin is under constant and prolonged pressure. As a result of the pressure, the blood supply of the skin is limited and the dendritic cells cease to function properly. Health conditions that lead to limited mobility increase the risk of developing bedsores. The healing process of pressure injuries is often prolonged due to skin damage caused by urine, sweat, and feces. Inappropriately treated and infected bedsores can lead to life-threatening health conditions. Pressure ulcers are described in four stages.
- Stage 1: Symptoms of stage 1 pressure ulcers include uncomfortable itchy sensation, lack of blanching of the skin when pressure is applied, changes in the tone and temperature of the skin.
- Stage 2: Symptoms of stage 2 bedsores include tenderness, painful skin swelling, superficial damage of the skin, discolored skin patches and blisters filled with blood or a clear fluid.
- Stage 3: Symptoms of stage 3 pressure injuries include open wounds extending to subcutaneous fat tissue, severe pain, exposing deeper layers of skin, deeper ulcer, intense and painful burning sensation and high risk of infection.
- Stage 4: Symptoms of stage 4 bedsores include ,high risk of inflection, intense pain and deeper ulcer extending the tendon, muscle, or bone.
Special clothing for bedridden patients can relieve the constant pressure from the skin. Adaptive clothing items can prevent the development of bedsores for bedridden patients.
Comfortable clothing for bedridden patients
Being confined to bed drastically limits the movement of patients which can lead to developing pressure ulcers. Comfortable clothing for bedridden patients can relieve the constant pressure from the skin.
- Elastic waist pants: Being confined to bed and limited physical activity often lead to weakness and reduced hand dexterity. Elastic waist pants are the perfect clothing for bedridden patients because they can be easily taken off and on.
- Magnetic closure shirts: Bedridden patients often experience lowered hand dexterity, which can make buttoning a shirt an impossible challenge. Magnetic closure shirts are easy to open even without the assistance of a caregiver.
- Open-back tops: Open-back tops are among the most popular adaptive clothing items for immobile patients. They can make dressing up faster and easier.
- Hospital gowns: Hospital gowns can be taken on and off with minimal movement. Dressing immobile patients can be faster and easier with hospital gowns.
Other accessories for immobile patients
Adult diaper
Adult diapers, also called adult nappies, are special pieces of clothing that allow the patient to defecate and urinate without using a toilet. Adult diapers can be extremely helpful for people with mobility impairment.
Moisturizers
Making the skin more resilient is crucial to prevent bedsores for bedridden patients. Applying the dermolex skin regenerating gel can lower the risk of developing pressure injuries. Carefully selected ingredients of the gel refresh and regenerate the skin exposed to long-term pressure. The gel formulation is rapidly absorbed and will not stain the clothes or the bed linen as it does not contain any colorings or fragrances. The product complies with Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products. It is a ’leave-on product, not to be rinsed when used as intended. The product was studied and evaluated by the Department of Dermatology and Allergology of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Centre of the Faculty of Medicine, Szeged University. The investigators concluded that dermolex gel was an efficient complement to the therapy of bedsores.
Absorbent mattress protector
Absorbent mattress protectors can simultaneously protect the mattress from bodily fluids and keep the patients comfortable by absorbing liquid contaminations.
