Moving into a residential care facility can be overwhelming. Once the main preparations are made and you have chosen your new home, your mind can turn to packing.
One of the most common questions we get at this stage is what are the most suitable clothes for the elderly in care and nursing homes? We here at Gemini Fashion are here to support you with your individual requirements. We have helped thousands of new and existing residents now living in care & nursing homes throughout the country with their ongoing clothing needs.
Just because you need help with the tasks of daily living does not mean you should have to sacrifice your sense of individuality and style. In fact, for the mental wellbeing of an individual in a care and nursing home, it is essential that you do still feel as much independence as possible and retain some ability to make your own choices.
INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
Depending on the type of care you require, everyone will have different requirements. We always recommend checking with a healthcare professional if you have any specific medical requirements for clothing. If you need daily assistance with dressing then clothes with easy fastenings, stretchy materials, complete or partial opening and soft elasticated waists are appropriate as this is easier and quicker for carers to dress you without causing you to endure any pain or struggle.
COMFORT
Comfort should be of key importance when choosing clothes. As most residents living in care and nursing homes have limited mobility and may be unsteady on their feet, their clothes should be suitable for sitting for extended periods of time, and not pose trip hazards. Clothing should be loose fitting to make sure the clothing does not cause any marks or discomfort. Choosing the right material is hugely important as care and nursing homes are warm environments, therefore choosing a heavy wool fabric will cause you to feel hot and uncomfortable. Layering is the best option, as you can easily add or remove layers depending on how you feel.
LAUNDRY
Care and nursing homes need to be able to wash and dry clothes through a more intensive laundry process than in domestic environments. Most homes use industrial washing machines and tumble dryers which means that certain materials such as cashmere can be easily damaged. All the clothing we provide on our website is suitable for industrial washing machines and tumble dryers. We offer a 1 year no quibbles money back guarantee if any of our clothing is damaged during laundry.
LABELS
Labelling your clothing is essential in a care & nursing home. As most clothing is washed together, it is very difficult for laundry staff to identify which pieces of clothing belong to you. The best method of making sure you always get your own clothes back, is to label your clothes with a permanent laundry pen with your room number or your name on the white clothing label in your clothes. There are also retailers who sell special sew on/iron on labels that can be easily attached onto your clothing.
WARDROBE LIST
We have compiled a list of clothing items you should keep in your wardrobe to make sure you are always well stocked and ready for any occasion.
4 Skirts, 4 Trousers, 4 Cardigans, 4 Jumpers, 5 Tops/T-Shirts, 6 Pairs of Socks, 6 Briefs, 3 Vests, 2 Bras, 3 Nightdresses/Pyjamas, 1 Pair of Slippers, 1 Pair of Comfort Shoes, 2 Outfits for party’s and special events.
Keeping your clothing collection fresh and updated is hugely important as not only does having a great selection of clothing make us feel good but the way we dress is a way of saying who we really are without having to say a word.