Fidgeting

Lyn can still be occupied by sorting her perler beads.  She rarely does her stitching and hasn't done a puzzle in months.  She still occasionally attempts to play solitaire on a computer.  However, there may come a time when even those few activities.  So, what do you do when you have a person with dementia who needs to be entertained?

You can provide them with a fidget mat or quilt or apron.  A fidget mat or quilt is a small cloth with a number of activities sewn on to it.  It is small enough to cover the lap or the table area in front of the individual.  If you use an apron, you have the advantage of ties which allow you to keep it from falling to the floor and out of reach of the individual.

To the base, you attach items such as zippers, buckles, buttons, laminated photos, pockets, beads or other objects which a person may enjoy manipulating.  A marble in a sleeve could be easily added as a fidget device.

The goal is to provide activities which are repetitive such as sliding a zipper up and down or buttons from one end of a string to the other.  The activity should be something that doesn't need to be reset by the care giver.

Here are some examples you can look at for ideas.
Sew Many Ways Kimi
Susan's Quilt Creations
Nancy Zieman
Sewing Wilde
Sharky Knows