Thanks for all the suggestions. The question was for my older sister who lives several hundred miles away. Front hook bras don't work. It's the severely limited arm movement that's the issue. I'm going to send my sister the suggestion of the former bra fitter listed above. That sounds the most practical for her situation.
Great advice above, but someone has to say it: give up on bras... so much more comfortable. I wear a dark undershirt and on top of that a loose gauzy print top. That's my hot weather outfit and much more comfortable than being stuffed into a bra. I used to be a D, but would fit into a C now (late 70's). I'm assuming that, like me, your elder is no longer a runner, basketball player, or bikini wearer.
Search "full figured sports bra front closure" (zips and hooks). The sizing isn't always the same but a wide range of products are available and if you go someplace like a running store they usually have a person who helps get the proper fit. Regular sort of strap are easier to put on than t back. Price is USD20 and up.
Sports bras will do the trick, different levels of support and cup shape. Not so fussy on fit can be found at sports store or even Target. They can be found online or in a running store. The sizing is not the same as a regular bra. They are fashioned to hook or even zip in front and come in full-figured sizes. The people at the shop will help with sizing issues. We found one for USD40 and one on the clearance rack for USD20 for my mom.
I hook my bra in the front and spin it around too. So often we think of seniors having trouble getting dressed. I've done this ever since I tore my rotator cuff for the second time. If you think about it, there is usually more than one way to skin a cat.
Lots of good bra answers here, thank you. Here is a little 'out of the bra' thinking. My mom didn't want to wear a bra. Because of dementia, she would lift her shirt exposing madam breast to public view. I got her interested in wearing a tank top tucked in. This solved the problem and provided extra warmth.
Hi, when I had shoulder surgery and couldn’t lift my arm at all. I used tube bras and sports bras. I had to put a bra on my stepping into one, (including sports bras), but it allowed me to dress myself as I couldn’t reach around to even hook a front closing bra. Hope this helped!
We've had 2 days of suggestions but haven't got any feedback from the OP on whether or not anybody is even close to addressing the issue since she doesn't mention closing the bra at all, rather the inability to lift her arms. Are you still here Sue?
My mom has worn nothing but front hook bras for years. They work well for her. We go to amazon or bare necessities to order them. Bali is her favorite brand; she's full-figured, too. She had to trim a little lace off one of them because it would get caught in the hooks.
The Bra-lellujah by Spanx a is super comfy and stretchy and has a single plastic fastener at front (the most comfortable bra ever). As the straps are so stretchy, might be easier for her to manage, along with front closure? They are pricey at regular retail, but you can find them on ebay, also sometimes on Zulily or 6pm in the $20 - $30 range.
The Buck and Buck website has adaptive clothing for seniors at reasonable prices (I order pants and shirts with Velcro fasteners from them for my Dad who has neurological problems in his hands from a disease similar to ALS). They have an "arthritis bra" for $18 that might work for her? They also have other undies and things. buckandbuck dot com.
Hope you find something that works! Lots of great advice here!
Cwillie, that is how I always did my bras. Like the idea about strapless.
My Mom liked the "front loaders" but the CNAs didn't. Either did I. Your trying to hold the boobs in while your hooking all those hooks. What I did with Mom was put the bra on first getting up under the boobs then hooked them at the back. I then took her arm and slipped it thru the strap elbow first. By doing this, the boob fell right into the cup. Then off to the other side. All in a sitting position. The straps had some elastic which helped. I later found out that the CNAs did it this way.
Have you tried a zip up sports bra? I suffered with nerve damage a few years ago and couldn't lift my arms or twist around to fasten a bra. I found zip up "champion " brand sports bras at target that saved the day ! Plenty of support too. Maybe that would work for your mother. Good luck!
I would think that even if she is a full bosomed woman, that it really does not matter so much if she has great support. I have been wearing primarily very stretchy, front closure bras for a long time, (when I wear one, which is seldom). I am so uncomfortable in a bra most of the time, but when out in public I force myself to wear one. I try to wear non-revealing tops-either dark colors or prints. But the front closing ones require very little arm lift at all.
Front hook bra - large number of options in large sizes from www.womanwithin.com fullbeauty.com and roamans.com and jms.com aka Just My size. options vary from light weight leisure bras (used for rotator cuff surgery) to more supportive in variety of fabrics - cotton to spandex to polyester, etc.
RayLin, do you mean you stepped in and pulled it up over your hips? It is clear what works for some isn't the answer for others, some answers are going to depend on how big your hips and waist are too! BTW, my mom used to be full figured too but we gave up bras for undershirts when I began to dress her, I think she was relieved to get free of the danged things!
My mom's NH gave me a booklet on adaptive clothing - there is a whole page of bras mainly front closing with easy to do up snaps/hooks /etc depending on design - try "SILVERTS.COM" & they also have tops that are easy access - I got mom several nightgowns that do up in back so she just puts her arm out straight & an aide does it up in back - I have ordered several items from them so there is about 3 to 4 days for delivery
When I had trouble lifting my arms, I learned to step into the bras. Spinning them was very uncomfortable for me. This way I pulled the bra up into position and then did one strap at a time. Reverse for taking them off.
That said, is your patient comfortable without the bra? I have seen (in medical clinics) many hefty women who just bypass the bras altogether. No, it's not a pretty picture, but to each her own.
A few decades ago, some women would tie a rectangular scarf around their breasts for support. If the scarf was long enough, they would center it at the back of their neck, crisscross it around their breasts, then tie it in back. Or do just the opposite: center it behind their back, crisscross it around their breasts, and bring the ends up and tie them around the back of the neck.
There are cup inserts without straps that have a stick-on adhesive which will stick to clothes. They're not as supportive as a bra, but might work in a pinch, (and they don't pinch, the way some bras can). ironically, my mom, with Alzheimer's, tried to slip out of Target when I was bra shopping there. This wandering behavior became right on "target."
I had two injured rotator cuffs at once, one time. Constant pain and could barely move my arms and shoulders some days. It's actually still possible to put a regular, back-closing bra on.
Flip the bra upside down (straps pointing to your waist). Making sure all the bra's inner material is facing AWAY from your skin, wrap it around your torso so that the cups are behind your back and the hooks are in front of you. All of the inside material should be facing out - including the closures. Hook these closed as they are, in front of your body and below your breasts. Twist the closed bra around your torso until the hooks are at the back. Flip the bra back up so the insides of the cups are against your breasts and all the inner material is now against your skin. Slide the straps UP your arms. Adjust breast tissue as needed.
I showed this to lots of women who couldn't close a bra in the back, when I went worked in a women's clothing store (I was a bra fitter). (Front closing bras are uber tough to find in odd and plus sizes, by the way.)
Edit: sorry, I didn't see this had already been mentioned. I've never found it hard to do, and I'm a double D. It's always worth a try. I still put my bras on this way, to be honest! It stretches them out a little faster, but it's so much easier for me. Some bras are made of stiffer stuff than others, though! That can make it harder. Cross your Heart still makes great bras with wire-free lift and support - they have all kinds of odd sizes and the bras are not too stiff, and even the odd sizes can be purchased on Amazon. Penningtons and Addition-Elle, both in Canada, also sell pretty good wirefree bras (not as good as CYH though), and you can order them over the border.
cwillie...when you are "full figured" hooking in the front and "spin it around" is not as easy as it sounds. I am not terribly overweight but fuller figured in the bust area and that hooking in the front is a tussle. I have some arthritis in my hands and hooking in the back on some days is not an easy task. I am finding it more and more difficult to find bras that hook in the front that have wider straps, underwire and will support me that way I want to be supported. I had a few from Lane Bryant that I loved but they discontinued them (story of my life when I find something I like)
SueR49 if you can not find what you need from all the excellent suggestions here you might want to try these.... Find a seamstress in your area and she may be able to alter a few of your current bras and make them front closure. You could also ask in a fabric store if there are any customers that they know of that make bras, bathing suits or other foundation garments. They might put you in touch with a customer that might help you out.
Look for stores that have trained personnel that fit women after mastectomies.
I did a quick look and Hanes, Just My Size, Walmart and Amazon (like what don't they have!) all have front closure bras in larger sizes. My first choice would be to try the ones you can get at your local "brick and mortar" store so you can actually try it on and see if it is easy to get on, get off and the support it provides.
I found some delightfully comfortable, and easy to put on, strapless bras for any size on amazon. It's easy to put on either for the patient or the caregiver.
Are you still here Sue?
The Buck and Buck website has adaptive clothing for seniors at reasonable prices (I order pants and shirts with Velcro fasteners from them for my Dad who has neurological problems in his hands from a disease similar to ALS). They have an "arthritis bra" for $18 that might work for her? They also have other undies and things. buckandbuck dot com.
Hope you find something that works! Lots of great advice here!
My Mom liked the "front loaders" but the CNAs didn't. Either did I. Your trying to hold the boobs in while your hooking all those hooks. What I did with Mom was put the bra on first getting up under the boobs then hooked them at the back. I then took her arm and slipped it thru the strap elbow first. By doing this, the boob fell right into the cup. Then off to the other side. All in a sitting position. The straps had some elastic which helped. I later found out that the CNAs did it this way.
It is clear what works for some isn't the answer for others, some answers are going to depend on how big your hips and waist are too!
BTW, my mom used to be full figured too but we gave up bras for undershirts when I began to dress her, I think she was relieved to get free of the danged things!
That said, is your patient comfortable without the bra? I have seen (in medical clinics) many hefty women who just bypass the bras altogether. No, it's not a pretty picture, but to each her own.
Flip the bra upside down (straps pointing to your waist). Making sure all the bra's inner material is facing AWAY from your skin, wrap it around your torso so that the cups are behind your back and the hooks are in front of you. All of the inside material should be facing out - including the closures. Hook these closed as they are, in front of your body and below your breasts. Twist the closed bra around your torso until the hooks are at the back. Flip the bra back up so the insides of the cups are against your breasts and all the inner material is now against your skin. Slide the straps UP your arms. Adjust breast tissue as needed.
I showed this to lots of women who couldn't close a bra in the back, when I went worked in a women's clothing store (I was a bra fitter). (Front closing bras are uber tough to find in odd and plus sizes, by the way.)
Edit: sorry, I didn't see this had already been mentioned. I've never found it hard to do, and I'm a double D. It's always worth a try. I still put my bras on this way, to be honest! It stretches them out a little faster, but it's so much easier for me. Some bras are made of stiffer stuff than others, though! That can make it harder. Cross your Heart still makes great bras with wire-free lift and support - they have all kinds of odd sizes and the bras are not too stiff, and even the odd sizes can be purchased on Amazon. Penningtons and Addition-Elle, both in Canada, also sell pretty good wirefree bras (not as good as CYH though), and you can order them over the border.
I have some arthritis in my hands and hooking in the back on some days is not an easy task. I am finding it more and more difficult to find bras that hook in the front that have wider straps, underwire and will support me that way I want to be supported. I had a few from Lane Bryant that I loved but they discontinued them (story of my life when I find something I like)
SueR49 if you can not find what you need from all the excellent suggestions here you might want to try these....
Find a seamstress in your area and she may be able to alter a few of your current bras and make them front closure. You could also ask in a fabric store if there are any customers that they know of that make bras, bathing suits or other foundation garments. They might put you in touch with a customer that might help you out.
Look for stores that have trained personnel that fit women after mastectomies.
I did a quick look and Hanes, Just My Size, Walmart and Amazon (like what don't they have!) all have front closure bras in larger sizes. My first choice would be to try the ones you can get at your local "brick and mortar" store so you can actually try it on and see if it is easy to get on, get off and the support it provides.