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Hi folks, mthr has just been readmitted to hospice after 2 years off and in memory care. She's about a 7 B-C stage now, with some rote words and no recognition of me and could not give her name yesterday. The nurse who will be treating her most often checked her out today and says that she has a severe contracture in one leg and that she lies with her legs crossed Indian style. The nurse suggested we get skirts for her to wear since it is so hard to get her pants on and it seems to her that it hurts her knees which have bone on bone arthritis.


Question for the hive mind: what kind of skirts, or do I find and buy house dresses? Where do I get these? She was under 5' when we rescued her from her hoarded house, and now she's confined to a wheel chair - will petite sizes matter? I have no idea where to buy these things. Help!

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CWillie, I'm quite aware of the neglect issue. Mthr's nurse is no longer employed. My hospice nurse is who told me to get cheap skirts & dresses but not where, and I'll admit, I am upset and not thinking straight.
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cwillie Sep 2019
I'm sorry, I know it's water under the bridge at this point. I hope you find something comfortable that works for her. 🤗
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In the tops my mother wore the snaps were high enough that pressure wasn't an issue, they were were mostly completely open at the back, (that's where the camisoles/undershirts came in, as well as adding a layer of warmth they kept her back from being completely bare). I know some of the ladies used the dresses but I never really examined them to see how they were fitted. Aren't you getting any kind of advice from the staff? The women at mom's NH were very upfront about what they needed and what others were using.


Aside from that - contractures are considered a sign of neglect, your mother should have been getting passive range of motion treatments to prevent this.
And despite being almost completely immobile my mother never became "bed bound" until she was actively dying, she always spent a part of her day in her wheelchair.
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We need front opening dresses & skirts so her carers can flip it up to change her side tab briefs (avoiding the D word!), all while her legs are still crossed. Those house dresses on Buck's are lovely except for the back opening snaps which could more easily cause pressure sores. Ideas for where Madea gets her cheap dresses, but in petite? Where's Tyler Perry when I need to ask fashion advice? 🙂 Seriously, what do people wear in that awkward time before becoming completely bedbound?
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I assume she is in a wheelchair so I would look for clothing designed for that, the open backed dresses like these from Silverts

https://www.silverts.com/show.php/product/21070-womens-wheelchair-dresses-spring-summer-open-back-dresses/alt-web

My mom would have been too cold in a house dress and wore open backed wheelchair pants, but if those won't work she might be able to wear pants like these

https://www.silverts.com/show.php/product/45010-womens-zipper-pants-for-arthritis-catheters-paralysis-2-way-zippers-easy-access-clothing/alt-web

Another supplier of adaptive clothing is Buck & Buck (cheaper too).
https://www.buckandbuck.com/womens-adaptive.html

I'm surprised they haven't already asked you to get adaptive nightgowns, camisoles and/or bras.
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cherokeegrrl54 Sep 2019
Excellent info cwillie.... i didnt even know these existed. Much appreciated!!
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