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QUESTION: I'm an aspiring writer. The heroine in my current book designs/makes
clothing specially tailored for her grandmother who is a wheelchair user.
I need to know what would make these clothes different from other clothes.
I want to be respectful and accurate. In particular, she makes a fancy
gown for attending a wedding, and exercise clothes for an exercise class in
the grandmother's nursing home.
ANSWER: First get Grandmother the hell out of the nursing home, does nothing but
perpetuate the stereotyping of people with disablities, as unable to take
care of themselves.
custom clothing for wheelchair users is usually
. cut longer in the rear of the seat and shorter in the front
. the legs are usually longer in proportion to waist and inseam
. there are no seams or pockets on the buttocks area
sometimes they also include (usually as an option)
velcro closures
rings on zippers
side pockets on the legs
and front opening flap for those who catherize themselves
also as an option there may be customized adaptations for asymetrical body
dimensions or prosthesis.
Just get granny out of the nursing home, if she is that active, get her
into her own apartment or house, driving her modified car or van.
maybe teaching reading in a school or library or skiing or square dancing
or going out to the theater with her boyfriend or maybe getting arrested
in disability rights demonstrations, things real people with disabilities
her age do!
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