Adaptive clothing is clothing designed for people with physical disabilities, the elderly, and the infirm who may experience difficulty dressing themselves due to an inability to manipulate closures, such as buttons and zippers, or due to a lack of a full range of motion required for self-dressing. Adaptive clothing typically offers rear-closure designs so that an individual can be dressed more easily by a carer. For example, rather than buttons and zippers, Velcro may be used for garment closures. A common misconception of adaptive clothing is that it is only for wheelchair users or others that suffer from severe disabilities. Whilst these groups do benefit from the garments, adaptive clothing is for anyone that can be limited by traditional clothing.
Clothing for special needs
Adaptive clothing is specialised clothing that is modified to enable easier dressing for people with a disability. The clothing is modified to help people with a high degree of disability and their carers or to assist individuals with a lower degree of disability to dress independently.
Adaptive clothing can benefit people of all ages with disorders or natural ageing such as the following:
Adaptive clothing typically incorporates flat seams to reduce friction, discreet adaptations to make the clothing look as normal as possible, easy access with snaps, Velcro, or stretchy fabric, roomy design to accommodate incontinence aids, longer rise in the back to accommodate sitting in wheelchairs, elastic waist for increased comfort, and reduced effort when dressing.