Category: incontinence

Posted in Adaptive Clothing, Bedridden, Breast Cancer,, Caretaker, DIY Hospital Gown, Elderly, Hospice, incontinence, Sickness

DIY Nightgown for Bedridden or Hospice

Posted on by Maureen

I decided to modify all of Mom’s nightgowns to make it easier for changing since she is bedridden. (I know we’re supposed to use the term “non-ambulatory” now, but for my purposes, this works better 😉  I used to have to change Mom’s gown with every diaper (please don’t get mad at me for calling them diapers instead of “incontinence wear!”) change, and let me tell you, that is not easy with one who is bedridden! Now, because she’s not sitting on the gown, it stays dry. She can even sit in her easy chair, and no one can tell that her gown is open in the back. I tie it closed with ribbons. I researched buying “Adaptive Gowns” but they always have an overlap in the back. That would defeat my purpose of keeping the gown dry. Also, I couldn’t find any that I liked as well as the gowns Mom has.

You can do the same thing for men using a comfortable shirt. When my father-in-law was put on hospice, I cut the back of his flannel shirts. He was so much warmer and they looked much better than hospital gowns.

Because I have a serger, making these modifications literally takes me under 10 minutes. If you don’t have a serger, just hem the cut sides. It will take a little longer, but not much.  Here’s how to do it in 3 easy steps:

  1. Take a comfortable gown or robe, lay it out on a table and cut right up the back. Don’t be afraid! It’s so worth it!
  2. Serge or hem the cut sides.
  3. Cut two 16″ lengths of cloth or silk ribbon. Line up one end of the ribbon with the top of the finished edge and zigzag stitch back and forth several times. Fold the ribbon back on itself and zigzag again. Tie knots on the other end of the ribbon so it doesn’t fray in the wash. I haven’t tried using velcro instead of ribbon, but I’m sure it would work.
This shows the flannel nightgown before I cut it.
Lay the gown out on table or cutting board and cut right up the back.
Don’t be afraid! Cut it!
Serge or hem the edges
Cut 2 16″ lengths of cloth or satin ribbon
On the inside, line up the end of the ribbon with the top of the gown. Do a bunch of zigzag stitches back and forth. Then fold the ribbon back and do more stitches.
This is the finished gown shown from the back.
Finished gown.
Happy Mom in her pretty nightie!
Posted in Caretaker, Elderly, Hospice, incontinence, Sickness, Widow

Time for a Change

Posted on by Maureen

I don’t usually need an alarm to wake up, but last night I stayed up way too late, and when my alarm went off at 6:55 am, I groaned, “Ugh, I don’t want to do this!” Hearing myself say that really caught me off guard. I know that’s a strange thing to say – how do you catch yourself “off guard,” but I can’t think of any other way to explain it. I used to love early mornings. Now, I get up, wash my face, and try to get one cup of tea in before I have to go in and change my mother-in-law. It’s really not that big of a deal…. we’ve been doing this for so long that it only takes a few minutes to change her nightie, her incontinence underwear, and the bed pad, but I can think of better ways to start my day.

This morning as I was fastening the snaps on Mom’s nightie, she said, “I bet you never thought, in your wildest dreams, that you would be changing your mother-in-law like a little baby.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. I couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t embarrass her. “Well…..” I said, awkwardly. Then I saw a cloth sticking to the inside of her gown, and I pulled it out exclaiming, “There it is! I’ve been missing this cloth!” We both laughed, and that was all we needed to change the subject.

No, not in my wildest dreams did I think I would be changing this woman’s diapers, but actually our relationship has never been better. We both just treat it as matter-of-fact, and we find something else to talk about or laugh at.

I have 3 daughters and one daughter-in-law. Will one of them be changing me some day. I’ve joked with them that they should “shoot me” first if it ever comes to that. They don’t appreciate it when I say it, and I really shouldn’t because I’m making it sound like having to be a caregiver is a terrible thing. Sure, I wish I could start my days in a different way, and I wish I had more time to myself, but my husband and I are doing what we can to give his mom the best end-of-life we can. I know our children would do the same for us.