Physical appearance is important to everyone ’s sense of self-esteem. For the person with Alzheimer ’s disease, the simple act of putting on clothing can be frustrating. For this reason, you need to manage dressing difficulties one-by- one. There are many reasons why the person with Alzheimer ’s might have problems dressing, including the following:

Physical Problems
Does the person have problems with balance or with motor skills that are needed to fasten buttons or close zippers?

Thinking problems

• Does the person remember how to dress?
• Does he or she recognize her clothes?
• Is he or she aware of the time of day or season of the year?

Environment
Is the person troubled by lack of privacy, a cold room, poor lighting or loud noises?

Other Concerns

• Are you rushing the person to get dressed quickly?
• Are you giving the person clear step-by-step instructions on how to dress or does the task seem too complicated?
• Is the person embarrassed by dressing in front of you or others?
• Keep in mind that getting dressed and looking presentable are critical to a person’s sense of well-being and self-esteem. Make it easy for the person to make clothing selections.
• Lay out proper clothes for the person, including appropriate selections for warm and cool weather.
• If appropriate, give the person an opportunity to select favorite outfits or colors.
• If the person insists on wearing the same clothes everyday, get duplicates of the favorite outfits.
• You may want to remove excess clothing from the closet. Seeing many choices in clothes can be overwhelming to the person. Choose clothing that ’s practical.
• Select fabrics that are lightweight, flexible and feel comfortable on the person ’s skin.
• In general, choose clothing that ’s durable, adaptive and flame retardant. Consider experimenting with various types of fasteners.
• Keep in mind that pressure tape or Velcro ® can be used as a substitute for buttons, snaps and hooks.
• Other devices include large-ring or loop-handled zippers.
• Many caregivers turn to jogging suits or one-piece jump suits that are washable, comfortable and have few fasteners.

Pay attention to the feet

• To give the person’s feet adequate support, encourage wearing regular shoes instead of slippers.
• Slip-on styles with elasticized inserts on the top are easy to put on and remove.
• Sneakers or shoes with non-skid soles can help to prevent falls. Have an extra pair of shoes on hand in case the person’s feet swell and keep the feet warm with loose-fitting easy-to-wear socks.