Adaptive clothing for severely restricted mobility

[IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere]

Can anyone recommend any adaptive clothing sites in the UK? Mum's arms including her hands and wrists are curled up to her chest and she is in a lot of pain when she is dressed. I have found adaptive clothing on Amazon but it is all imported from the US and I am loathe to spend over a hundred pounds on a handful of tops that I can't return if the home says they are unsuitable. The clothes I have found in the UK are blouses with velcro fastenings which are not suitable. I need something that fastens at the back so the tops can be put over from the front if that makes sense?

These have back opening clothing and nightwear.
https://adaptawear.com/collections/petal-back-open-back-clothing

They look perfect. Thank you. The only ones I had found like that were US imports.

Just make sure that whatever you get is really stretchy fabric. And bigger than what her actual size would be. Personally I don't find front opening shirts difficult, except if it's like a non stretch woven blouse type fabric, omg that is so awful to try to manoeuvre.
Also make sure that any back opening things don't have ties or buttons at the back that will damage the skin. The ones in that link look great. So long as they're stretchy!

it is a problem, and as we are all living longer I can’t understand why there aren’t more options.

my friend took her mum’s existing clothing to a local tailor and got them adapted. The woman sewed up the front opening and made the backs Velcro - she added a flap gusset from contrasting fleecey fabric for the seams, which looked a bit funky but was comfortable and no one saw it as she was always leaning on it. It meant her mum was wearing her own clothes which helped her confusion.

id speak to the home too, they should be able to dress your mum without pain. If her arms are fixed and curled then does she HAVE to get dressed? Is she up and about in a wheelchair or spending most of her time in bed?

Could you have vest tops with a halter neck and cut (and hemmed)open at the back that tucked under her arms and round the back with a ribbon or wide flap to tuck in place if she was in bed? And a knitted bed jacket over the top? You want dolman sleeves, the wider the better. Shawls, capelets, pashminas and scarves?

if you google “bed jackets” or “capelets” there are a few that come up in fleece which look good.

I knitted some collared capes for my friend when she was very poorly. There are lots wirh slits for sleeves on ravelry, if you are a knitter. Pretty lace capelet

I’m away down a rabbit hole of patterns now. You would probably be cheaper getting someone local to sew something like this in nice jersey or fleece fabric than import from the US.

some Fabrics wouldn’t even need hemming, it would be a simple mock up and a quick job.

it’s be much longer to knit, but could look really nice on for her. Lace poncho

The trouble with a blouse - even oversized and stretchy - she can't freely move her arm at all - and fingers are curled into a fist and her wrist is bent down towards her forearm and her hand rests against her chest. The care home asked for "more stretchy" clothing but I am at a loss to think what what qualify as that!

amazon have some things if you search “bed shawls for elderly women” - some are hideous but there are some presentable pieces in there.

“Slenderella” brand seem to have a few things.

Sorry I think I too so long to hit send (I was trying to find picture to show what DM's arms are like) that I missed your replies!

@stealtheatingtunnocks She is up and dressed every day. At the moment she is trapped upstairs in the care home because the lift is out of action but hopefully by the end of the month she will be downstairs in the main lounge.

I've bought her several ponchos and capes which she loves but the struggle is finding something to go underneath them. I've been searching for adaptive clothing for arm surgery and have found some reasonably priced t shirts which would be fine for warm weather but even when we are sitting sweltering in the home she says she is cold so will need something more than a t shirt and a poncho in the winter.

I have just messaged my daughter's friend to see if he would be willing to do some sewing for me. We have an excellent seamstress in town but I would rather pay a friend to do it - especially as he is a poor penniless student.

There's some on Etsy, they are custom made so should be able to get something that works. Alternatively my friend buys a size up, cuts, hems and attaches Velcro for her dd.

Yeah I know what you mean. I've looked after a few residents like that. It is really, really difficult. It is physically very hard work to dress someone like this, and for the person themselves it's painful. 😥
One particular resident was very distressed while dressing. I spoke to the doctor who said he once had a patient with muscle contractures who had success using a small dose of valium. We tried it for this resident, making sure to give it about 45 minutes before getting her up for a shower. This lady was verbal and was able to describe that it was so effective and made her showering/dressing so much more comfortable. Anyway this was probably 5 years or so ago, and I know where I am (not UK) they're trying to cut down on using drugs like that in aged care, so I don't know if it'd still be an option, but it was really helpful!

@wandawaves I am visiting tomorrow and will talk to the sister in charge and go through her clothes with the carer who is responsible for them and will mention the possibility of adding a medication. I don't know what meds she takes now so I don't know what they have tried. I know they took her off the oramorph because it wasn't helping and it was depressing her so much. I don't have PoA but they check with me as next of kin for things like Covid and flu jabs.