Changing clothes difficulty

[Janey B]

Hi Folks ( Hubby with FTD late stage)
It’s been a couple of very difficult months lots of deterioration and adaptions needed.
I have had to increase care support but on the whole have managed.
Been upset as my regular respite home have said they can’t take him anymore 🥲 the thought of finding somewhere else feels so overwhelming at the moment.
I am struggling daily with changing his clothes.
He grips really tight to whatever is at hand usually it’s the toilet hand rails (I change him there) He just won’t let go so that I can get his arms into his clothing. It makes changing him a real challenge.
I just have to leave him there and keep going back and trying to get him to let go and put his arms in his clothing. I usually manage but it can take ages and it’s really frustrating.
Any ideas or suggestions please.
His cognition is poor most of the time but not sure that is the problem as he will lift his legs to change trousers he just won’t let go of the hand rails to allow me to put his arms in his clothes.
Really don’t understand it. JB

 

[Jools1402]

Hi - well done for managing. Perhaps he feels insecure or off balance when he lets go of the rails. Could you try seating him in an armchair to do his top half? He might feel safer there.

 

[LadyLouise]

Hi this sounds so frustrating. My mom sometimes won’t let go of something she’s gripping, or clamps her arms tightly to her sides. The only tactic I find to help is to gently wriggle something else into her handsaying ‘here mom, hold this instead’. Even if I can just get one of my fingers into her grip, then I can gently but firmly lift her hand then wriggle my finger out at the last minute just before sliding the shirt sleeve on. Also Jools 1492’s suggestion is a good one. I often give my mom a small object to clench in her hand, even a folded tissue that I ask her to look after for me, to stop her gripping things while dressing.

 

[Janey B]

Thank you for your replies and suggestions @Jools1402 and @LadyLouise 😁 Will give them a try. Thinking about it I could undress his top half when I get him up then take him through to his chair after his shower to dress him. Will give it a try.
Todays conundrum 😂 how to get him to swallow his food/drink will hold it in his mouth for long periods of time.
Everything just seems hard work at the moment 🙄

 

[SeaSwallow]

Thank you for your replies and suggestions @Jools1402 and @LadyLouise 😁 Will give them a try. Thinking about it I could undress his top half when I get him up then take him through to his chair after his shower to dress him. Will give it a try.
Todays conundrum 😂 how to get him to swallow his food/drink will hold it in his mouth for long periods of time.
Everything just seems hard work at the moment 🙄

Hello @Janey B If your husband seems to be having difficulty swallowing it might be an idea to contact the SALT (speech and language therapy) team at your GPs to this discuss this issue.

 

[Jools1402]

Absolutely agree with @SeaSwallow. My Mum did this with drinks and I thought she was just being silly - I didn't realise difficulty swallowing can be caused by dementia. Mum was admitted to hospital severely dehydrated and they got the SALT team to see her - she now has her drinks thickened and it has solved the problem

Hello @Janey B If your husband seems to be having difficulty swallowing it might be an idea to contact the SALT (speech and language therapy) team at your GPs to this discuss this issue.

 

[Janey B]

Hello @Janey B If your husband seems to be having difficulty swallowing it might be an idea to contact the SALT (speech and language therapy) team at your GPs to this discuss this issue.

Thank you - he is already on a two week waiting list to see the dietitian re his swallowing and weight loss