Store sizes assume a standing body, so measure the person as they lie in the bed, choose openings that you can use without rolling them more than needed, and check each garment against the laundry you already run.

The clothes in the closet were sized for the person who used to stand, walk, and get dressed at the sink. The person in the bed may be a different size or shape, and the way a garment goes on changes once someone is lying down. This article is about choosing and sizing everyday clothing for that situation.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Why the old sizes stop working

A waistband that fit at the kitchen table may sit wrong in bed. Legs may not bend the way they did, and a pant leg that was easy to pull on standing can be hard to work over a foot while the person lies still. Shoulders and sleeves can be too narrow to get over an arm that is held in one position. None of this is a judgment about the person. It is a fit problem, and it is solved by measuring again.

Measure lying down

Take measurements with the person in bed if you can do it without moving them much. Record the chest or bust at the widest point, the hip at its widest point, the waist, the inseam from the crotch to the ankle with the leg as it lies, and the arm length if sleeve length matters. Write the numbers down and bring them to the store or the website chart. Compare the chart's measurements to yours, not to the size on the label.

Choose openings you can use in a bed

Front-opening tops, pull-on pants with a wide elastic waist, and garments with ties or magnetic closures are often easier to put on a person who is lying down than a standard pullover. Check each opening by trying it on the bed, not on a chair. Buy one of each style before you buy a full set, so you learn how hard it is to close with the person in place.

Check the fabric against the wash

Read the care label before you buy. Knit fabrics with some stretch usually go on and off more easily, but they can lose shape in a hot dryer. Look at the seams and the places that rub, since a seam that rubs against a bed rail or a pillow will show wear sooner. Buy for the number of days you run the washer, not for a full week stored in the closet. A set that washes and dries in your own machine is worth more than a larger set that cannot be washed as often as you need.

Decide who helps dress

Family members or a hired non-medical caregiver can help with dressing as part of personal care. Agree on which garments are used, where they are kept, and who puts them on. A hired helper may need to know which openings are used and in what order, so write the order on a card in the drawer.

Keep the set that works

When you find a size and style that fits well, keep one example of it and note the brand, size, and measurements. The body in the bed can change again, and the next time you buy you will have something to compare against. Re-measure after a few weeks if you notice the old garments no longer sit the way they did.

For the measuring and dressing routine, the Start Here page gives the order in which this site suggests reading the rest of its guides.

Measure the Person in the Bed, Not the Old Pajamas: Size Clothes for Lying Down, Dressing, and Washing