'All my clothes are too tight..."

[Roz43]

My mum is in a residential care home at the moment, pending a move to a sheltered housing bungalow.

I packed a case of her clothes to go with her, but seemingly all her underclothes and skirts are too tight.

Mum probably weights 8 stone, and the pants I packed for her are a size 18. She insists that they are too tight,as are the skirts with are a similar size, but any bigger they will just fall down around her ankles.

Anyone else had this and how do I convince her that they are plenty loose enough? I have ordered some new under clothes and will try these, but she seems adamant that all new and existing garments are tight.

Help!

Roz

 

[Jancis]

Hi Roz,
Not sure if your mum has lost weight? If she thinks her clothes are too small maybe she is confused because they are now too big - are you sure she is size 18 if she is only 8 stone?

Clothes are a big issue with my uncle as he thinks that they are constantly disappearing and the ones he has are "no good". He often says he wants to buy lots of new ones.

Maybe you could give her two different sizes of pants to try and see if she can tell the difference?
Jancis x

 

[Christin]

Hello, does your mother ever mix her words up? Could it be that she means her clothes are too big although she is saying they are too small. FIL often mixes his words, sometimes he realises and says that wasn't what he meant, often he doesn't realise at all.

 

[Jo1958]

Roz, hi
So sorry, maybe it's the cut and style of the clothes rather than the size, go back a generation and the cut was very different. Girdles, big knickers and vests rather and littles, bras were long line and rather drastic. Maybe find a catalogue and see if she fancies anything from Damart, etc.
Good luck with finding the right, comfy things that will work for you all.
Best wishes, Jo

 

[Jo1958]

Roz, me again,
Maybe dresses rather than skirt, they are so much easier if there is a tightness, down around the ankles issue!
All the very best, Jo

 

[Sandy]

Hi Roz,

I think that Christin has a really good suggestion - perhaps she is confusing the words tight and loose?

I would suggest before buying anything else getting her to try things on with you there and asking her to show you where she feels they're not fitting her.

Take care,

 

[Onlyme]

I agree about the word. I have seen my friends husband very emphatically say no when he means yes.

 

[larivy]

hi Roz mum went through this stage she would say everything was tight even though it wasn't she drove me mad shes seems to have got over this now i never did find away round it though just kept biting the bullet found dresses were better though larivy

 

[lin1]

I too think mum is muddling her words ,my mum used to.
Mum often used to use other words wen she did not know the right words.
I wouldn buy new ones yet, it may b that mum dont want to get dressed ie more comfy in nightware, or not sure how to put them on, no longer likes them , if she will let u help dress her, mayb by gathering them up at the back u can find out if she realy means they too big.

 

[MJW]

Mixing up cause and effect

Last week we bought mum some new slippers. She tried them on and they seemed to fit perfectly and she was very pleased with them. The next day, she told the carer they were "too big" and "hurt her feet". I think what she probably meant was that her feet hurt. She does have a lot of foot problems. Maybe your mother means she doesn't like the sensation of clothes touching her around the waist. Does she have sore skin, for example, which means she doesn't like anything touching her there?

 

[Nan2seven]

Dear Roz,

I too think your dear mum may be confusing tight with loose. My Brian frequently uses the exact opposite word to the one he means, or does the exact opposite to what I suggest when I am dressing and undressing him. Doing up/undoing buttons, pulling up/down trousers, taking off/putting on pajama jacket. On some occasions, when the confusion is really bad and is causing us both frustration, I have given him the opposite suggestion to what I want him to do, and get the right result. Hope this helps.

Love, Nan XXX

 

[kittypurry]

Hello-
Totally emphasise--we have major clothes issues with being "not hers" and the "too big" issue. we had to remove nearly all clothes and give her no choice as what to wear.

We found it did pass.

xxx

 

[Roz43]

Thanks for your help and suggestions, we have made progress in that there are now 2 skirts that mum can be persuaded to wear which is progress! x