There are many types of dementia and Alzheimer's disease is just one of them. Alzheimer's Disease is the most common type and affects approx 800,000 people in Britain. It is a progressive disease which affects many functions but mainly the memory .No one knows what causes it but it is distressing condition for the family and the sufferers themselves.
Recently there has been a project going on in the UK to make Twiddle Muffs for Alzheimer's patients. I started a "Knit and Natter" group at Church and we often undertake charity projects The Twiddle Muffs / Mitts/ Sleeves Project was a cause which captured all of our hearts. As a group, we have made several and I finished my first one just half an hour ago.
Muff/ Mitt/ Sleeve are Interchangable for this object.
Other projects we have undertaken are making knee blankets for wheel chair users in the care homes for the elderly and little outfits for the AIDS babies in Africa., dog coats for an animal charity ... ...and all while we knit and have a cup of tea or coffee on a Monday for an hour.
Blarney Castle and Gardens, County Corkon 06/01/2023
An Cóbh, Corcaigh, Eireon 05/29/2023
Dublin ; The Book of Kellson 04/04/2023
The Bee Tree Community CIC;- an online support communityon 08/24/2022
Comments
The knee blanket and the twiddle mitts have such invigorating and yet tranquil and warm colors. For example, the knee blanket houses lively green and soporific blue and sunny yellow.
The second subheading, Decorations, indicates that "The mitt has decorations on the inside of it as well as the outside of it."
What might those inside decorations be like?
I have adapted the Alzheimer's Mitt to a knee blanket to go over the patient's knees. The picture is above.
Katie
What a lovely thing to do. They can be made with spare ends of wool of varying colours to stimulate the brain. Odds and ends need to be very securely fastened so that when victims twiddle their fingers they can feel a variety of securely tied textures and objects.
The problem is that each mitt can, for hygiene reasons, only be used by one person so here in UK the senior citizens rest homes are very much in need of them. Therefore there is a constant need.
Oh what a beautiful project. I lost my grandmother to a variety of this disease, sad, so very very sad. I am def going to get a move on making twiddle mitts in my down time whilst watching the telly or what not. Thank YOU!
The mitt is long and the victims use both hands in one mitt. But there is a constant need for them as they can't be shared. I chose the colours to be stimulating for an Alzheimer's person.
Veronica, What beautifully relaxing colors and designs! Do the recipients use one mitt per arm or is it possible to put one hand inside each end to keep warm? What kind of tea do you drink during your knitting hour?
Thank you. It was new to us at Knit and Natter too. There're patterns online. Our Knit and Natter have made a few now and we take them to the local care homes. Obviously the mitts have a single user life span so care homes are in constant need of mitts being replenished.
I haven't heard of this...thanks! I have a friend who is tired of making hats, and she could do this. Yours are beautiful and charming!
TY Dusty. If it helps with this sad and distressing condition then it is worth doing and I wanted to spread this idea further afield than just the UK . They won't do any harm and hopefully will do some good.
I have never heard of giving this type of thing to patients with dementia. My mother had Alzheimers. Your finished product looks lovely.