Teresa Tandy has kidney disease and receives in-unit haemodialysis at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske dialysis unit. Teresa wore the Asda adaptive hoodie for a dialysis session. While the colour (white) might not have been the most practical considering the increased risk of getting it marked with blood in this environment, she found the hoodie to be cosy and warm and access to her fistula easy. The hoodie’s zips along the arms also meant that she felt ‘dressed’ at all times.
The fabric was soft and good quality. Wearing one of these hoodies will make accessing a fistula a lot easier as it means there is no need to remove clothing. I was really comfortable in it.
Nick Palmer, our Patient Ambassador and Involvement Lead, who is on home haemodialysis, also tried out the new hoodie.
The zip on the arm is very useful. During winter, despite a duvet and cosy room, I get cold on dialysis, particularly if I've not been well. Sometimes I’ll wear a sweatshirt or hoodie in bed. However, I can't roll the sleeve up to access my fistula as it restricts and put pressure on the fistula vessel. This accessible addition could really help in this situation, and the material is soft and warm. There is also a zip on the chest/neck area which is a good length and would probably work well with a chest line, enabling good access for cleaning/connection when having treatment. The zips on each side from the waist up might be helpful for any other type of line access around the stomach, specifically a drain line used after transplant surgery draining any fluid from the surgical site, usually around one side of the lower abdomen.
Margaret Rodgers, one of our Patient Support & Advocacy Officers, has polycystic kidney disease and has also cared for a loved one on peritoneal dialysis. Margaret tested the adaptive pyjamas. The trousers include Velcro-style openings on each side, allowing easy access to a dialysis catheter, and the fabric is soft, light and breathable.
This style fits well, although the legs are on the longer side. The Velcro fastenings on the top are strong and secure, yet easy to open, and both the top and trousers are a generous size, without being too oversized. The generous fit would mean someone with a larger abdomen, such as someone with PKD, or having peritoneal dialysis treatment, can be comfortable. For those undergoing peritoneal dialysis, a warmer fabric would be preferable, as this treatment can often leave patients feeling cold, and the button and elastic loop fastening is quite small and fiddly. If used on its own, it might dig into the wearer’s side and may not be strong enough to hold the trousers securely. For future designs, a stronger fastening mechanism and perhaps a wider waistband might improve both comfort and practicality.
High street adaptive clothing: Kidney Care UK's verdict
It's really fantastic to see accessible clothing available on the high street at such an affordable cost.
A lot of items in the range are in lighter colours, possibly due to the timing of the launch, which was towards the end of the summer this year. Everyone we spoke to commented that darker fabrics would be welcome due to the high chance of bleeding for people on haemodialysis.
As well as the Asda range, Primark also has an adaptive clothing line, although these items are available only in some stores or through their Click and Collect service and not online.