Tips to Make Dressing Easier With Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease

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Establish a Stress-Free Morning Routine

Rushing through a morning routine can make anyone anxious and frustrated. But those feelings can get even stronger when you have Alzheimer’s.

Plan for Extra Time

You may need more time to dress in the mornings, so try to go at your own pace and build plenty of time into your routine to get it done without feeling hurried.

For example, try to avoid scheduling early appointments, so there’s less of a time constraint, says Greenwood.

Develop a Custom Routine

Plan out a daily routine to simplify your mornings.

 “Sticking to a routine is important,” says Jablonski, who recommends waking up at a consistent time and showering, dressing, and having breakfast in the same order every day. “[This] decreases the mental load and decision fatigue,” says Jablonski.

Set Up Reminders

“Using memory aids like daily planners or calendars is also useful,” says Jablonski, who suggests keeping a step-by-step list of basic daily activities on a whiteboard and keeping it somewhere easy to find upon waking in the morning.

You can also ask family members to remind you of certain tasks, or set alarms on your phone.

Prevent Morning Stress

“It is helpful to break down an activity like dressing into several individual steps or components,” says Greenwood, such as focusing on your shirt first, then your pants. If you get distracted easily in the mornings, turn off the TV or radio while you dress.

Also try not to multitask during dressing time. Dress first, then make your coffee, then take the dog out—or whichever order makes the most sense for your situation. You may find your own tips and tricks as you try the options above. You know yourself best, so use what works and leave what doesn’t.



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