- Share This Post
- Pin It
- 1
-
Sparkle (0)
Do you have a senior that won’t change his or her clothes? If so, you are not alone. Normally these behaviors occur in people who start to have memory impairment or some nutritional deficiencies that are affecting the brain the the thinking.
For example, people who have memory impairment begin to lose track of time and are not able to identify when a day begins and when it ends. Consequently the person tends to stay in the same clothes as there is no break in the day. Others are able to identify it is night and change into bed clothes but then when they arise they go right back into the same clothes they had on for last three days. Caregivers become frustrated saying, mom has 20 outfits right in her closet but she won’t put them on, she wants to wear the same thing all the time.
If you have a person with memory impairment, 20 choices is too much and overwhelms them. They get frustrated trying to pick out which top goes with what pants, colors are difficult to see if they have vision problem and the complexities of having to put something together is unmanageable to them. People with memory impairments often need cueing which is when you tell them, put your arm in this hole, then bring the shirt around your back and then your other arm in this hole. You have to direct them how to do it. These are simple steps to a person with well brain but for someone suffering with memory impairment and even the disease of dementia, it is an overwhelming task. When confronted with an overwhelming task, all humans either just don’t do it or they try to do what is most comfortable, i.e. wear the same thing.
One thing you could do is cut down on choices. Give your loved one maybe 3 choices a week or 2 depending on their memory impairment and if they live alone. Giving limited choice often helps them and saying, mom this is your outfit for tomorrow we are going to doctor can help. Put a note on the garment and hang in on the door they always look at like the bathroom or closet. Take it out of the mix of several outfits and set it by itself. If you have a caregiver who comes in or its you, have that person take the outfit out of the closet and say this is so pretty, I bet you would look handsome in it, how about if we sponge bath or shower and change into this outfit?
Dealing with changing clothes is a tricky business. Be careful about making up stories or lying to your loved one because if he or she is having a lucid moment and catches you in the lie, it can backfire on you. Be upfront and just tell you loved one that clothes can only be worn for two days and if they are in agreement keep track via a calendar and say it’s so I know when the wash needs to be done. My schedule is busy and keeping track of your laundry will help me to know when I need to stay a little longer for washer to run. Be creative and think of ways to get them to change clothes. Life is an art not a science. There is no easy fix for this refusing to change clothes behavior.
