3. Practical advice and tips for carers > Daily living activities

Daily living activities

4) Dressing: trousers video

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Trousers Method 1
Jogging trousers with elastic waists are a good choice as they do not have small fastenings. They are easier when dressing one handed is difficult.
Greg starts by organising the clothes so the trousers are the right way round. A good tip is to look for labels, back pockets or pull cords at the front or sew a small red tag into the right seam- red for right.
Greg finds the left trouser leg and gathers the material from the waist band to the bottom of the leg.
He is able to cross his weak left leg over the right at the knee so that it is easier to put the trouser leg over his foot. (Some people who have pain in the back, hip or knee may not be able to manage this method.)
He gathers the other trouser leg in the same way then puts it on the floor to step in to it with his (unaffected) right foot.
Greg has good sitting balance and he can lean forward safely to put the trouser leg over his foot. If the person has poor balance, a carer may need to help put the trousers over the foot. He pulls the trousers past the knee as far as he can before standing up and pulling them up to his waist. When he is standing, his feet are about a shoulder width apart to help with balance.

Trousers Method 2
In this method of dressing Greg uses an easy reacher. This time Greg gathers the left trouser leg and places it on the floor. He uses his right hand to lift the left leg into his trousers. Then he uses an easy reacher to help get the foot in to the trouser leg. Once inside, he raises the foot a few inches off the ground by hooking his stronger right leg under the left ankle. He uses the easy reacher again until his foot is further into the trousers. He pulls up the trousers until he sees his foot come through. Keeping his feet about a shoulder width apart is safer when he is bending forward or balancing in a sitting position.

Jeans
As the person improves with their dressing technique they can try alternatives such as jeans. Denim will not usually stretch so can be difficult in the early stages.

If wearing a belt, make sure the belt has been put on to the trousers first.

The same gathering method is used.

Greg crosses his leg at the knee and places the gathered trouser leg over his foot.

He checks the belt is through the belt loops and puts the trousers on the floor to step in to them.

He pulls the jeans up as high as he can before standing up. Sometimes a ring pull (similar to a key ring) can be attached to a zip to make it easier to pull up one handed. Some people will need help with small fastenings.