You have put in all the work to create twiddle muffs, cuffs mats and standalone twiddle items. You pack them up and drop them off to the hospital reception desk or post them into the hospital. So different from when you gift them to a dementia patient in person and you can chat about the twiddle items and see bewilderment turn into smiles.
At the Royal Melbourne Hospital your twiddle creations make their way to the Volunteer Services. The staff unpack the parcel, enjoying the pleasure each twiddle creation brings. These twiddle creations are thoroughly checked for unsafe or loose items before being determined safe for distribution. When I have carried out checks of donations,I have discovered pins, once 3 pins left in a mat. So easy to do, especially if the mat is thick and has lots of twiddle items on it. It’s my worst fear so I always get my husband to check them before I post. I prefer to use safety pins now so I can see and feel them.
Over time I have tended to use mainly yarn to make twiddle items. And include different stitches and techniques like bobbles, twiddle coral reefs and twiddle twirls within the bases. These can be added on later too. Shirley Gerus, a wonderful twiddle maker, lives in Calgary, Canada, and posts inspirational photos of her work. Shirley’s twiddle cuff below, shows how you can decrease the worry over potentially dangerous twiddle items by knitting or crocheting the twiddle items into the base
Shirley has used the window pane technique on this mat to provide interest and attract restless fingers. Such a beautiful mat.
We have discovered that twiddle creations have to be carefully matched to recipients at the hospital. Some will show no interest; others will move their fingers through and over the twiddle creation. The purpose of the twiddle creation is to calm patients, keep them in their bed or chair so there is less disruption on the ward and the patient doesn’t come to any harm. This also helps medical staff carry out any medical procedures. It is important that a member of the medical staff on that ward is involved in the process. Nursing Unit Managers (NUMs) are excellent and have carried out the role for many years. Within wards the distribution task might be delegated but the principle of matching twiddle to patient can only be done by those who know the patients well and know that the twiddle creation will not cause harm. Once matched the journey for the twiddle creation is over. If a name tag has been sewn onto the twiddle creation, this is the time to write it on the tag. The twiddle cuff, muff or mat has found its forever person and goes with the patient wherever they go.
Project Twiddles creator, Maia enjoys making octopuses and received a very valuable safety tip from a Nursing Unit Manager(NUM) at one of the Royal Park Aged Care wards (Royal Melbourne Hospital). An octopus done in a finer DK/8ply is small in size and could be a choking hazard. The NUM does not distribute these smaller octopuses. Maia now makes some of the octopuses using two strands of DK/8ply especially if the yarn is finer. It means she can use a slightly larger crochet hook and the octopus head/body comes out larger and safer. The Octopus Story
Volunteers can play a part too in keeping the supply from the storage area to the ward constant.
Each place will develop its own procedures. The ultimate purpose is to keep the patient safe, provide a way for patients to keep calm, an activity for restless hands and minds, and a peaceful environment for all.
Happy creating everyone
Sandra @Project Twiddles
