Elderly want easy-on, stylish fashions.

As the famous castaway "Mary Ann" on the popular 1960s television classic "Gilligan's Island," and for years since, actress Dawn Wells has faced the challenges of quick, complicated costume changes. And after helping to care for her grandmother and observing other seniors, she also understood the obstacles that many elderly surmount just getting dressed each day. "I saw a real need for clothing that was not only stylish but that senior citizens could get in and out of easily," said Wells, who created Wishing Wells Collections, Inc., a specialty line of clothing for the elderly and those with disabilities.

Whether you're shopping or caring for seniors, choosing both functional and stylish fashions is important to their health and well-being. And only a few fashion outlets like Wells and Silvert's Clothing Company are supplying this relatively untapped market.

"Many seniors have mobility and health issues brought on by surgeries, illnesses or senior conditions like arthritis," said Gary Reid, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care franchise in Burbank/Glendale, CA. "Traditional zippers, small buttons and snaps, for instance, don't always work for this group. At the same time, they still want to look good and wear stylish clothing. Each day our CAREGivers see seniors struggling to dress in clothes they like."

Home Instead Senior Care is the local franchise office of the largest non-medical home care and companionship company in the U.S. Its CAREGivers provide the elderly assistance with dressing, companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, transportation, errands, shopping and light housekeeping. Home Instead CAREGivers help keep seniors in their homes for as long as possible and provide a respite for family caregivers.

Wells, who now helps care for her 91-year-old mother, used her personal experience and her professional expertise in costumes to design her clothing line. Some of her designs feature a wrap-around jumper with Velcro closures, a reversible front-to-back caftan and stylish pajamas with Velcro for both men and women.

"Society doesn't recognize the importance of clothing for the more mature citizen," Wells said. "A lot of money is spent to produce fashions for children, but few designers think that the elderly deserve that." Although older women are not likely to be convinced that they should trade in their wardrobe every year for the latest fashions, they clearly are interested in buying new clothes, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics information identified by Home Instead Senior Care. Consumer expenditure research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that people age 55 or older spend $256 per person on women's clothes compared with $243 per person for all ages.

"Having a new dress matters a lot to a woman of any age," Wells said. "And most older men don't want to sit around in their pajamas all day." Wells' company sells about 200 garments a month through her Internet Web site Wishing Wells Collections at www.dawnwells.com.

Fashion designers like Wells and eldercare experts agree that senior fashion is an issue that's as much about mental and emotional health as it is about ease of dressing. The lives of many Home instead Senior Care clients illustrate that. One 78 year-old stroke victim had trouble dressing and often spent her days in soiled or mismatched clothes. A Home instead CAREGiver now helps her dress in stylish fashions and even takes her to shop for clothes. This service is a testimony to how modern and fashionable styles can change a senior's mood. "Before the woman was very despondent," said the CAREGiver's franchise owner. "Her attitude has changed so much," he added.

One fashion retailer has long recognized the importance of senior fashions. Internet and catalog sales of clothing to America's seniors at home are the fastest-growing markets for Silvert's Clothing Company, the largest distributor of specialty clothing for the elderly in North America. Founded in 1930, the company has been specializing in such clothing since the 1960s, when the late Ed Alter found a growing need to supply Canada's nursing homes. Based in Toronto Ontario, the company for years sold clothing through mobile stores that traveled to nursing homes and organized fashion shows with the homes' residents. The current marketing change reflects a trend toward the elderly living longer at home, said Jeffrey Alter, who operates the family business.

"With people living longer, there is a need for clothing for the frail and those with special needs. The caregiver is addressing the issues of: Is it appropriate? Is it easy to get on? We hear from almost every focus group that seniors don't want fuddy-duddy clothing," said Alter, whose fashions can be viewed at www.silverts.com.

Functionality also is important. For instance, large buttons, Velcro or grommet snaps replace smaller buttons, and toggles replace traditional zippers that are easier for arthritic hands to maneuver. Tops that fasten at the shoulders are not only easier to get on but are more comfortable and lessen the risks of pressure sores. One of the company's newest innovations is a men's shirt with false buttons down the front that is secured with Velcro. Sportswear fashions such as stylish tracksuits are becoming increasingly popular.

"Clothing is such an important part of a senior's overall mental health. That's because attitude makes all the difference in their lives," said Reid of Home Instead Senior Care. "And looking good is an important part of feeling good."

Information for this article was provided by Home Instead Senior Care. To learn more about the organization, visit www.homeinstead.com. For more information about this story, contact Gary Reid at 818-843-8688.