Wearing a housecoat all day, every day. Lazy, tired or giving up?

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Wearing a housecoat all day, every day. Lazy, tired or giving up?

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My mother has always had a TON of clothes. Always. She currently owns over 100 white blouses, t-shirts and tops. She has probably 30 pairs of pants and probably 20 dresses. Fills 3 closets to the brim with clothes.

In the last couple of months she has given up wearing anything more than a housecoat. (I didn't even know they made those still!) She buys them 5 at a time from a catalog. She finds a style she likes and buys it in all the colors it comes in. She is clean and she keeps her housecoats clean...but this is a sudden change of pace for a woman who dressed head to toe every day--even in the past 3 years where she has gone NOWHERE but to Bingo once a week for 1 hour and then to the grocery store where she sits in the car while my brother shops for her. That's it.

I actually am not bothered by the housecoat thing. I wear muu muus all the time. (Must be genetic!) I am just surprised by how fast this 'slippage' happened. She won't get her hair cut and has stopped attempting makeup. OK, she's 92 and she was still slapping on mascara and eye shadow every single day!

I don't expect any real answers, as I am not asking a question. I'm just thinking out loud a little. She's tired, she's sick of living, but still monitors her blood sugar and takes her meds religiously. She will probably live to 100 or beyond.

It's just such a shock to go see her at 2 pm and she is basically already dressed for bed. She puts on a fresh housecoat every morning.

And for the record, I think she's smart to wear as little as necessary. Much less laundry, for one thing. Easier to get to the bathroom. When she wore pants, she had accidents all the time.

Activities of Daily Living Living Independently Senior Health

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Midkid, ahhhh, dressing "comfortably", so much better then putting on business attire. It's been two years since I even saw my high heels, now I am pretty much barefoot, even outdoors walking out to the mailbox.

I think covid helped us decide to dress more casual as we spend more time at home. Loved hiding my no-make-up face behind a mask. Not wearing eye make-up anymore as when outside I wear what I call my "Airwolf" sunglasses, crystal blue lenses.

I put on shoes only once a week if I am driving to on-line grocery pick-up or a doctor's appointment. If it is Saturday, it's bath time like it was when I was a kid.

Yes, part of it is being lazy, because when you are retired and not busy, you tend to put things off for another day.... or month.

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I think you answered yourself Midkid58... "Easier to get to the bathroom".

Other things wearing housecoats make easier;

* Choice is way less. Colour or pattern! But NOT top & pants, what goes with what, what still fits, what's the weather like.

* Mobility. Getting those tops over the head (even if stretchy) gets hard with reduced shoulder mobility or arthritis. Same for bending down to put pant legs on.

* Energy conservation. Putting on one item vs multi items. Exhausting if lung/heart issues or fatigue.

"I think she's smart.."
Me too! 😁
#MuMuu life

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Simplicity: easy on, easy off; only decision is which housecoat to choose. Plus they're loose and flexible.

Like FreqFlyer, my work wardrobe still hangs in the closet, but hasn't been worn in years. Only if I attend a funeral or something business related would I consider wearing something other than shorts and t-shirts, or sweat shirts and sweat pants in the winter.

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My mother dressed to the nines right up until the very end of her life. In fact, right before she died at 95, she took to her bed with hospice on board. The staff did not want to dress her in a nightgown simply BECAUSE she'd dressed to the nines her whole life. So they asked me if they could cut her tops in the back and 'dress' her in a fresh one daily, so that she'd be in bed but appear to be 'dressed up'. I thought that was a great idea and said absolutely. So that's what they did. They'd comb her hair, and dress her in a brightly colored Susan Graver top (I'd bought her about 15 of them) every day.

The one thing she did let go of finally was dying her hair. She went from light blonde to full on gray hair after I managed to convince her that it was a good idea to do just that. She was the ONLY woman in the entire ALF that was still dying her hair! So she gave it up and wound up looking so much better with natural gray hair *it was silver* than she ever did with bottled blonde!

It's weird to see your mom in a housecoat all the time, I'm sure. I grew up with my grandmother who wore housecoats ALL the time and nowadays I even own a few of my own (mostly because I go to estate sales and when I find them, I BUY them! :) ) Snap coats, they're also known by. They are super comfy and what I call 'one stop shopping'........easy to wear and one piece of clothing vs. 2, top and bottoms.

At least your mom is not having all those accidents like she did when she wore pants, right?

Seeing our moms taking steps down (no matter how small) is an acknowledgement of their mortality. They put on this act of invincibility, and we buy into it b/c they're so strong and tough, etc. Yet these little signs are huge and indicative of the truth. I knew 'for a fact' my mother would live to be 100 too. I was wrong about that, though.

Sending you a hug today, Midkid.

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My MIL’s ‘ton of clothes’ were a real trial to dispose of effectively after she went into the NH. Opshops prefer to get winter clothes at the beginning of winter, summer clothes at the beginning of summer, so I washed, occasionally mended, and stored most of the ‘ton’ for the best part of a year. Time to start? Not a suggestion, just experience of what comes next.

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Maybe ask her why all of a sudden is she wearing housecoats? She may have a very good reason. But, these should be looked at as signs too. Anytime someone abruptly changes routine, they should be watched. But tgen as said, she may find housecoats are just easier to get on and off. Maybe a goid time for a check up with Labs to make sure her numbers are OK.

Me, my basic wardrobe is jeans and tops. My shoes are Sketchers. In both I pretty much keep to the same style. I have my old jeans and T shirts I wear around the house. Newer jeans and tops I wear when going out of the house. Then about 7pm I put on my "let it all hang out clothes" which consists of PJ bottoms and over large Tshirts for Summer and Big OLD sweat shirts in the winter. Fashion statement I am not. 😁

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A friend told me in her cultural background, seniors (60+) swap day clothes for *comfort wear*. Elastic waist, easy pants, zip jackets.

She was slightly embarrassed about this... I said BRING IT ON 😆 I am there with them 🤣🤣

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I never ever imagined I would be practically living for last 2 years in sweat tops and pants, or pyjamas.
Yet, 2 years, Covid, injuries, surgeries etc. I find it totally acceptable and I am total fashionista, always was and will be.

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I am not a doctor, but it sounds to me like your mother is depressed. The mere fact that she has lost interest in activities she once enjoyed is a sure sign of depression.

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Of course she's depressed. She's 92 and can barely walk, she has hoarded out her apartment to the point only one person can be in there with her, and you usually have to stand up, b/c all sitting surfaces are covered in stuff. She's incontinent and has to wear adult diapers. She goes out 2 hours per week and those 2 outings wear her out. She only wants to see 2 of my siblings and they are the ones who visit least.

She still watches TV, all day. She does puzzles. She reads ( a little). She lives with YB's family and they are all still living at home (4 daughters in their 20's and 30's) so she's not alone.

We have encouraged her to try antidepressants, in the past and she says she's never had a depressed day in her life (absolutely not true) but she is aware enough of things that she can make her own decisions.

She's wearing out. We're not made to live forever. She's perfectly happy in her housecoats and actually, her 'apologies' for wearing them are unnecessary! She looks fine. She's clean and housed and fed and really has a better life than most 92 yo's.

I don't think most drs would even try to address depression in someone so old and in poor health. It just is what it is.

But, I do thank you for your comment. Cutting back on things that are hard is fine--we all do it.

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Mom has mastered retirement, good for her! At 92, she needs to choose which efforts are most important: doing laundry is low on the list, I'm sure.

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Midkid58: My late mother curled or 'set' her hair in rollers up until her stroke. There was one particular longer hospital stay well before the end of her life. The first thing she did when I brought her home was to shower and wash and set her hair. Most people who didn't know that my mother had a whole host of ailments exclaimed "There's nothing wrong with your mother. She's dressed well, with her hair done and lipstick on." My mother was not showtiming; it was just from all outward appearances, she did look well. However, that was very much incorrect. My mother loved Alfred Dunner clothing, which I loved to gift her with.
I am glad that your mother enjoys and feels comfortable wearing the housecoats. Hugs sent to you, Midkid.

Wearing a housecoat all day, every day. Lazy, tired or giving up?

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