He enjoys sitting in pajamas, drinking tea and talking to people. I, his wife, am trying to get him to change clothes but he is against it. He also doesn't like to take showers, but I believe that is because he doesn't have the energy for that. He lost the interest in clothes he used to have. Any ideas?
For going out ….You could buy comfortable lounge pants in a solid black color and t shirts in a different color so they don’t look like pajamas . My friend’s husband wears this all the time as his clothes .
What difference does it make if he wishes to lounge around in his pajamas?
I would be grateful that he is comfortable.
I am quite sure that no one is bothered by him being in his pajamas. They may even wish that they could wear pajamas all day long too!
Sure wish you luck in finding a look you can both live with.
Elders with AD/dementia hate showers in general, normally bc there is something they're afraid of or bothered by in the shower stall. Falling, the force of the water or the feel of it on their face, being cold, etc. See if you can hone in on what DH is bothered by in the shower and then remedy it for him. Or hire a male aide to shower him once a week and use pre moistened disposable washcloths by Stryker for in between wash ups. Those are the best ones in my opinion.
Best of luck to you navigating this tricky ground.
My late husband ONLY wore pajama pants or sweatpants for the last 10 plus years of his life and as long he was comfortable and happy, so was I.
Like already said, when dealing with the disease of dementia, we must learn to pick our battles, and honestly this is just not one worth fighting.
A friend told me people from her home country start wearing loungewear at 60. I can certainly see the practicalities of elastic waistbands (for ease of toileting quicker) & zippered jackets (for dressing with arthritic shoulders).
I'd avoid the matching beige top & bottoms look myself 😄 but I have seen some older folks in nicer sportswear, track pants/jackets etc. Comfortable & practical. (Trackie dacks as we call them here).
Regarding energy, *energy conservation* becomes important.
Having a seat in the shower can help. Swapping showers with washups at the sink alternate days. Seated dressing can also save energy. Dressing all lower half, then one stand up to pull items up. Even a compromise of one set of clothes for 2 days then a full change? With a 'for company' smart dressing gown/nice cardigan/jacket over the top.
BUT - he must stay clean. You can hire people who specialize in giving showers, and they'll come to your home to do it.
See All Answers