Each year, stroke affects over 700,000 individuals in the United States. Frequently, a stroke results in hemiparesis, or decreased function in one side of the body. This hemiparesis can make daily activities more difficult because the individual is limited to the use of only one hand. One such activity, dressing, can become overwhelming and the stroke survivors may alter their dressing style such that comfort and ease of dress are made a priority over attractiveness. For women, a brassiere is especially difficult to put on with one hand, and many women will discontinue the use of a bra. Zippers also present a significant challenge to manipulate with only one hand, and many women will forego zipping coats or have to buy new coats with snaps or buttons. These changes to dressing habits may affect a woman’s self-esteem.
There are several commercial devices that assist with dressing that may be used by those with the use of only one hand, but these devices are limited and are rarely designed to be gender-specific. In the case of the bra, to our knowledge only one device is available on the market and it has many areas in need of improvement. In the case of the zipper, we currently do not know of any devices designed specifically for zipping one-handed, though devices exist to aid in zipping with decreased fine motor control and/or grip strength.
Due to the need for these devices and the apparent void in their commercial availability, we have decided to design dressing assistants for female stroke survivors below 65 years of age, with hemiparesis. Specifically, we will be designing a device to aid with putting on a bra, a device to assist with zipping a jacket or blouse. These devices will be designed, manufactured, and tested between November 2008 and June 2009. The dressing aids will help those who only have the use of one hand regain independence and preserve their self-confidence by maintaining an attractive level of dress.