I have always said to Caregivers that often the best support and advice you will ever get is from other caregivers who are walking the same journey as you. The following example is a great testament to this truth and I am so privileged to be able to share this family’s wonderful response to dealing with a difficult situation. It is also because of their willingness to tackle a huge problem in their lives that their journey will now help thousands of others.
Maura Horton is married to Don Horton. Don is a former North Carolina State University assistant football coach. He is considered one of the top college coaches in the county and many of his players have gone on to play in the NFL. A few years ago, Don who is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease returned home from a game feeling quite humiliated. Parkinson’s had affected his hand movements to the point that he had to rely on one of his player to button his shirt. He shared with Maura how this affected him. It was a humbling experience for Don but one that Maura drew inspiration from.
Maura who worked years as a fashion designer, came up with a solution to help her husband, which is now helping others to cope with Parkinson’s, Arthritis, Stroke or any other debilitating illness. Maura’s designs help them to preserve their dignity – in a fashionable way, I might add.
Her company MagnaReady (http://www.magnaready.com) now makes stress-free dressy oxford shirts that do not utilize traditional buttons.
I have seen a lot of health care products for adaptive clothing but nothing as simple and elegant as MagnaReady. After learning about Maura and Don, I was excited to share their product with our on-line community via the Elder Care Resource Center (www.eldercareresourcecenter.info). I even sent an email thanking MagnaReady for their wonderful product. You cannot imagine how surprised and thrilled I was when Maura contacted me personally a few hours later to thank me for getting the word out. Maura was also kind enough to share with me a shirt so I could see first-hand the product. It truly is a remarkable product and you would be hard pressed to differentiate this shirt from any other well made oxford dress shirt. I have since given the shirt to one our Life Care Planning Clients and it looked wonderful on him.
I do hope you will take the time to read more about MagnaReady and Maura and Don. I know you will find their story truly inspiring. And for those who are in need of assistance with dressing, this shirt will be a welcome addition to your wardrobe.
-Suzanne Paolucci, LCSW, Elder Care Coordinator
