Helen Kay from the Patient Experience Team with some soft toys
The Patient Experience Team at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals is holding a collection drive on Friday, March 4, from 11am to 2pm.
Following on from a recent successful food and blanket collection drive, the team will be on the mezzanine at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on the day and are looking for donations of wool, buttons, ribbon and baby dolls (Tiny Tears).
A spokesperson for the team said: “The Patient Experience Team is very grateful to our volunteer knitters who knit Twiddle Pockets and Blankets for patients living with dementia.
“The ladies provide all the materials themselves, but if you have any odd balls of wool, buttons and ribbon that you don’t need, please consider donating them to the team so that they can make good use of it.
“It has been found that giving a person living with dementia a baby doll or a hand puppet can increase positive behaviour.”
Andrew Heath, Lead in Patient Experience and Engagement, spoke to one of the knitting members and asked if the ladies would be interested in knitting other items, such as doll clothes or hand puppets.
If you know a young child who has a baby doll that they no longer want, again, the team can make good use of it and give it to a patient living with dementia.
For people living with dementia, different items can have a positive effect on them. Some patients like to cradle a doll or hug a teddy bear. Some patients will have had a pet in the past and so to have a knitted cat or dog to on their lap to stroke can be very soothing.
Maybe you like making things! Could you knit a teddy bear, dog or cat? Make a hand puppet or a rag doll? Do you like working with wood? Could you make an item that a patient can hold in their hands?
If you can’t make the day itself but would like to make a donation, or have any questions, please contact the Patient Experience Team. Members include Helen Kay on 01253 955520, Andrea Reid on 01253 953548 or Sally Richardson on 01253 955648.