Dressing aids

This section includes equipment to assist with putting on and taking off clothing and footwear.

Compression and/or support hosiery aids may assist you if you have difficulty bending forward to put on or take off compression or support stockings, or stretching them to put over your legs.

Tights aids may assist you if you have difficulty bending forward to put tights on. They are usually a double version of a stocking or sock aid. Some may be flexible, cone shaped aids that are plastic or fabric, usually with two holes at the top where tapes or ropes are attached. Some may be floor standing. Which usually consists of an plastic coated frame with handles.

Sock and stocking aids may assist you if you have difficulty bending forward to put your socks on. There are flexible and rigid styles available, and some are floor standing. Flexible aids are cone shaped and is made of plastic or fabric, usually with two holes at the top where tapes or ropes are attached. Sock aids may have notches at different heights to act as handles. Rigid aids are made from a plastic semi-circular tube with a long handle or two tapes or ribbons attached. Floor standing sock aids usually consist of a plastic coated frame, some have handles. Aids to assist with removing socks are also included in this section.  

Dressing sticks and devices usually consist of a wooden or plastic handle with a hook at the end. They may be used to assist with bringing clothes around or pushing them off your shoulders, pulling up zips or straps, tightening or loosening shoelaces, and pushing down trousers, underwear or stockings. You may find a dressing stick useful if you have pain or stiffness in your shoulders or arms, or have use of only one arm. Also included is equipment that may assist with other dressing tasks such as putting on a bra, or pulling up trousers or underpants, and garments that cover the body to enable undressing in a dignified way.

Button and zip aids help do up buttons and zips, which may be useful if you have reduced movement or strength in your hands, or have use of only one hand. Button hooks usually consist of a thick handle and a wire loop. The wire loop is pushed through the button hole and looped over the button, then pulled back through the button hole to fasten. Button hooks can be difficult to use at first and need practice to use effectively, especially with one hand. It may help if the edges of the garment can be held steady, and if the buttonhole is on your relatively more able side. Zip pulls are clip-on rings or pieces of cord with a hook at one end and a tab at the other to assist with fastening zips. These can be useful if you have difficulty gripping a standard zip tag, or difficulty reaching a zip.

Fastenings for clothing can be used to adapt existing clothing. This includes Velcro fastenings and zips that can be unzipped from either end. These fastenings may be easier to manage than buttons if you have reduced grip or dexterity in your hands and fingers.  

Limb supports to assist with dressing are designed to provide dressing support to a person who has had an amputation.

Clothing accessories to aid toileting include those which may assist a user to lift clothing from the floor or prevent the clothing falling to the floor.  

Boot levers are usually a rectangular piece of wood or plastic with a 'V' or 'U' shape at one end. They may assist you to remove your boots or shoes without bending down to hold the shoe or boot. To use a boot lever, place the heel of the boot or shoe into the 'V' or 'U' shaped end of the remover. Your other foot should then be positioned on the other end of the remover to hold it steady while you ease your foot out of the boot or shoe.

Long handled shoehorns can assist you if you have difficulty bending to put on your shoes. The shoehorn is placed inside the back of the heel of the shoe, helping to hold the shoe open and provide a smooth surface for your heel to slide down into the shoe. They can also help prevent the back of the heel from collapsing through trying to slide your foot in.