Appeal for knitters to help with dementia project

Scarborough Hospital is appealing for keen knitters to get involved in a new scheme to help patients with dementia.

The project, which has been launched ahead of Dementia Awareness Week (which takes place from 18 May), aims to create knitted inventions called ‘Twiddlemuffs’ which will be given out to patients with dementia.

The knitted bands feature trimmings such as buttons, beads, ribbons and textured fabrics on both the inside and the outside. They will be given to patients with dementia who find that twiddling with the materials and the soft fabric of the wool help provides distraction and stimulation. 

Twiddlemuffs were first introduced at Warrington and Halton Trust and the idea has since been adopted by other hospital Trusts across the country.

Emma Day, Assistant Director of Nursing at Scarborough Hospital, said: “We heard about this project from our Dementia Support Worker and were keen to give it a go here at Scarborough Hospital.

“Often dementia patients can feel restless and agitated - Twiddlemuffs are designed to not only keep their hands busy but help stimulate their mind.

“The Twiddlemuffs provide a source of visual, tactile and sensory stimulation at the same time as keeping patient’s hands cosy and warm.

“We know that there are lots of keen knitters in the local community. We are appealing to them to put their skills to good use and to print off our easy pattern and to get knitting!

“The Twiddlemuffs will be given out to patients with dementia who will be able to take them home with them. We are hoping that the Twiddlemuffs project will become a permanent part of the wide range of work we are doing to support our patients with dementia.”

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is working to make its hospitals as dementia-friendly as possible and is working towards training 3,000 staff to become Dementia Friends, through attending a Dementia Friends Awareness Course.

To get involved in this project, you can download a copy of the Twiddlemuff pattern here.  

Please send your completed Twiddlemuffs to Emma Day, Assistant Director of Nursing, Woodlands House, Scarborough Hospital YO12 6QL.

12 May 2015