Knitting group donation to NHS Fife

The group, based at Jayne’s Wool & Button shop in Glenrothes, recently presented NHS Fife’s Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Nurse Consultant, Helen Skinner with their creations. She said: “I would like to thank the members of the knitting club for taking time to make these twiddlemuffs, they are particularly helpful for people with dementia when they are in hospital.”

A twiddlemuff is a knitted muff with items such as buttons, beads and ribbons attached that a patient with dementia can twiddle in their hands. People with dementia often have restless hands and like to have something to keep their hands occupied.

Helen continued: “A hospital environment can be very stressful for patients with dementia. Twiddlemuffs provide a wonderful source of visual, tactile and sensory stimulation whilst keeping the hands snug and warm.

“They help stimulate patients whilst they are on wards and we’ve found they are therapeutic and valuable in preventing stress and distress.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Woolly Brew Shop in Pittenweem who donated a large bag full of balls of wool and the many other people, staff members, family and friends who have knitted and donated twiddlemuffs along with oddments of wool, buttons, beads and ribbons, these are all greatly appreciated.”

Jayne Murphy, who owns the Wool & Button shop and runs the knitting group, said: “The group has completed many projects since getting together in 2013 and upon first hearing about twiddlemuffs, I decided to look into it as a new challenge for the group.

“It’s been a pleasure to hand these creations to Helen for dementia patients to use. We obviously all enjoy our knitting but it feels good to know that our hobbie can be used to create something that is of great value in helping others.”

If you are interested in learning more about Jayne’s knitting groups you can visit www.facebook.com/glenrothesknittingandcrochetclub

If you would like more information about twiddlemuffs, to hand in completed ones or, would like to know how to obtain one please contact Helen Skinner (NHS Fife’s Alzheimer Scotland Dementia nurse consultant) on [email protected] or call 01592 643355 ext 28427. The twiddlemuff knitting pattern is available on the NHS Fife website at www.nhsfife.org/twiddlemuff