BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — A Brooksville woman has created a garment for people who need help with care to wear in the shower and preserve their dignity.
- Robin Lenart created the "Honor Guard"
- Garment allows wearer to remain covered but still get clean
- Honor Guard available to the public through the Dignity Resource Council website
- More Hernando County stories
Like so many adults, Robin Lenart became a caregiver to her parents as they got older — first her father, then her mother.
"I knew that someday she would need a special care, bathing, that sort of thing," Lenart said.
After finding it challenging to help her father with his bathing, she wanted to find a way to make her mother more comfortable during the process.
"My mom had some issues and said, 'I need some help in the shower,' and I thought, 'wait a minute, let me get me prototype,'" Lenart explained. "And it was like little dish rags stitched together.”
That prototype led to the garment she calls the "Honor Guard," which allows people to stay covered, but still get clean, and it made a difference.
"There was no fear, there was no embarrassment, and we had an enjoyable experience and I thought, 'you know what? I have to help other mothers and daughters like me and like her,'" Lenart said.
She's now made the garments available to the public through her nonprofit, Dignity Resource Council.
They've already been picked up by some hospitals in the Bay area, as well as nursing homes in other parts of the country.
"We're able to allow those who receive care to have their dignity protected and to feel modestly protected and covered and respected," Lenart explained.
If you’re not able to afford one of these garments, Dignity Resource Council does give some away, and can also help with covering some of the costs.