Keep in Mind:
Dementia patients can be confused or agitated easily.
- Bold differential colours can cause confusion.
- Bright colours are fine
- Muted colours are fine
- Monotone colours are fine
- Black and white is fine
- But keep the colour layout and patterns simple.
- Older fingers have decreased ‘fine motor’ skills
- Avoid things that will frustrate them if they cannot do them… eg:
- Threading – a lace through shoe holes
- Very small protrusions like stiff zippers with small grips
- Small buttons and button holes
- Weaving / threading
- Avoid things that will frustrate them if they cannot do them… eg:
- Older eyes may not see as well
- Add things like crinkly cellophane sewn inside fabric pockets
- Think quiet stimulation
- Sight
- Soft Sound
- Gentle textures
- Older skin is more fragile
- No sharp edges eg: Think hard edges of plastic or metal
- Scratchy fabrics
- Texture is good, but gentle texture… nothing that will cause irritation
- Dementia patients may not recognise themselves. A mirror or reflection may be a stranger!
- All edges must be finished
- All additions must be SECURELY stitched
- All additions must be washable
If attaching items by hand sewing, use crochet cord or similar. Sewing cotton is not always strong
IDEAS:
DO:
Colour is good. But keep it simple.
Contrast is good too
Finger tunnels like loops and pockets
Hand grips like tubes or thick ties
Face feelers – long tubes of soft or silky fabric that they can rub their face with.
Mens suit ties are good to grip and feel
Texture
Little envelopes or pockets with surprises
Big beads to slide and flick
Little beads and objects hidden in a bag to feel and squish
Ribbon pull throughs (not weave, but pull)
Keys
Coins or beads with holes in the middle
Big buttons
Dangley bits
Velcro strips (with edges covered) to stick and unstick
Small soft toys in bags or pockets
Ribbon loops for squishing and fingers tunnels
Animals, pretty flowers, shapes to play with on a cord so they can be looked at closely, and played with above the mat
Cute faces with textured eyes like secured buttons or felt eyes
Press studs, pop fasteners
Coloured elastic hair ties, secured in a seam to pull and stretch
Elastic (round eg: hair ties) , secured in a seam with a button or bead to pull and stretch
Fabric folds and flaps – squares, triangles, half circles
Ridges and dips
Bobbles and bauble trims
Wool / yarn plaits
fringes
DON’T:
Mirrors or reflective surfaces
Shoe laces to thread
Weaving
Small Buttons and button holes
Tiny grips on zips etc
Stiff zips
Sharp plastic or metal edges
Loose small bits.
Thin strings
Scratchy Items
Other Ideas you can include:
Bangles
Beads
Belt buckles
Belts – material
Braces – for trousers
Braid
Buttons
Chain
Clothes pegs
Clothes with Textured
fabrics
Clothing with Pockets
Cord
Costume jewellery without stones
Cotton reels – plastic
Crochet twiddles
D rings
Denim
Doilies
Dolls clothes
Dough cutting shapes
Fabric flowers
Faux fur
Fishing lures – PLASTIC no hooks
Gloves
Hair curlers – rollers
Hair scrunchies or bobbles
Hankies
Jean pockets and loops
Key rings
Keys – any type
Knitted squares
Lace
Lanyards
Makeup bag with zip or clips
Men’s ties
Metal washers
Old Jackets with cuffs
Old suits – for cuffs and
buttons
Photo holders
Pin cushions
Plastic measuring cups
Plastic measuring spoons
Plastic rings
Plastic toys
Plumbing bits – PVC Pockets
Ribbon
Ric rac
Rings
Sewing measuring tapes
Shirts with collar and
buttons –
Shoe laces
Shower curtain rings
Shower curtains
Shower scrunchies
Purses
Socks
Soft plush toys – small
String of beds
Stuffies
Suitcase labels
Tape – fabric
Tape measures – sewing
Tassels
Ties – Men’s
Towels
Trousers with waistband
Tulle bags
Velcro
Vests
Watch bands
Zips Easy to pull and with big hand tags
These ideas came from Lee at http://www.inthehoopwithlee.com