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Elderly parents

How do you buy clothes for elderly relatives?

10 replies

rara67 · 15/10/2015 12:41

DMIL has lost so much weight and needs some new clothes. She lives 50 miles away from us and in her home town there is no M&S (I am thinking of a one-stop shop). I bought some bras once but she obviously needs a proper fitting (even looked into someone coming to the house) so they were returned.

Thinking of telling DH to take a day off work, sorting out child care and taking her to nearest big town. Will have to force her to try things on as she has no means of returning anything that doesn't fit, but the car journey and walk to the shop will exhaust her (I couldn't do it on my own as she cant get into my car).

Seeing her on Sat for her birthday, no gifts sorted so might do a hamper type thing for boys to give her (she can no longer drive, doesn't eat much, doesn't bath, cant use a dvd player, doesn't read. Loves a drink but that usually ends up with a fall and/or having to go to bed at 7pm to prevent the fall).

Would love her to come to our town for respite (very difficult to have her here) and then we could get everything sorted for her. Thanks for reading.

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bigbluebus · 15/10/2015 12:50

Could you go with your plan of taking her out for the day but borrowing a wheelchair from Red Cross to use for the day so that she doesn't tire too much walking around town.

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TheTravellingLemon · 15/10/2015 12:52

I think it depends on how old/frail she is. It has been years since DGM went the shops for anything. She couldn't cope with trying anything on or a big trip into town. We just guess and everything she owns is now from M&S so we can be fairly confident with the sizing and returns are easy.

How far can she walk? How close can you park? Are there plenty of places to sit down?

DGM loves those old fashioned boiled sweets you can get, like winter mixture or sherbet lemons.

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Madratlady · 15/10/2015 13:05

Could you order online, by showing her things on the m&s website? Or if that's not something she'd do then a catalogue? You can usually return stuff by post.

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aginghippy · 15/10/2015 13:22

Online/catalogue shopping is the way to go. For bras, order a few different sizes/styles, return the ones that don't fit and exchange for ones she likes. For M&S stuff, you can return them to any of their stores, you don't have to use the post.

M&S have a bra size guide on their web site. Maybe you could do the fitting for her?

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rara67 · 15/10/2015 13:26

Thanks so much. DH mentioned the wheelchair a year or so ago. She's very proud but if we were in another town she might use it. DH and I haven't been to this particular town for years so that would get us around the rest stops, parking etc. Could take some little snacks as stopping for lunch cant really be done in the time-frame. Internet would be good but she doesn't have internet access. Can I buy some internet access just for tomorrow???

I don't really want to do a 100 mile round trip just to send stuff back (she has to go everywhere by taxi and I dont trust her to do it!) but thinking about it, some retailers do actually collect as well as deliver, so that's an option. Thanks all, feel a bit more positive about our visit now.

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Helenluvsrob · 15/10/2015 13:51

We just order on line and return if needed.

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rara67 · 15/10/2015 16:14

Thanks that's given me some ideas. DMIL hasn't got an M&S where she lives so I would have it delivered here (I wouldn't want it lurking in her house, the windows have never been opened, the bath hasn't been used for 4 years etc). I could then take it to her and get her to try on and then bring it back the same day. It's days like this when I wish DH wasn't an only child, what I wouldn't do for a DSIL right now! Or, for DMIL to move to the town we live in (but that has to be her choice and that's a whole different thread!)

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RhodaBull · 16/10/2015 13:20

May I recommend Woods of Morecambe? I order things for mil from there and they send them direct to her nursing home. The clothes are very good quality and easy to get on/off.

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michtaylor · 18/10/2015 21:43

I thought woods online arm went bust last xmas?

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RhodaBull · 19/10/2015 09:58

Whoops - you're right. Guess I haven't bought mil any clothes for a year Blush . Must get on the case! Shame about Woods, though.

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