Dressing With Total Assistance
Key Points
- Undress unaffected side first and dress affected side first.
- Keep resident covered as much as possible.
- Use side-rail and rolling support when resident cannot bridge hips.
Equipment
- Resident-selected clothing
- Socks
- Nonskid footwear
- Laundry hamper
Procedure Steps
- Complete routine pre-procedure actions and raise bed height.
- Keep resident covered while removing gown.
- Remove gown from unaffected (more mobile) side first; place soiled gown in hamper.
- Confirm clothing preferences.
- Dress affected (less mobile) arm first, guiding hand safely through sleeve.
- Dress legs starting with affected side first.
- If resident cannot raise hips, raise unaffected-side rail, assist side turn, and pull pants over buttocks/waist.
- Tuck shirt under unaffected side while on unaffected side.
- Return resident supine and move to unaffected side.
- Insert unaffected arm and finish shirt closures.
- Assist side turn to pull pants fully up, then return supine.
- Apply socks smoothly and place nonskid footwear.
- Ensure resident is fully dressed and comfortable; complete safety checks and document/report skin changes.
Common Errors
- Dressing unaffected side first → increases pain and resistance on weaker side.
- Insufficient coverage during dressing → reduces dignity and comfort.
- Missing nonskid footwear → increases fall risk during transfers.
Related
- activities-of-daily-living - Dressing is a core ADL domain requiring individualized support.
- assisting-clients-to-transfer - Supports safe movement after dressing completion.