Twiddlemuffs
Welcome to our Twiddlemuffs page of The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. Here you will find everything you need to know about Twiddlemuffs – a fun way to help patients in our hospitals.
But, first things first…Twiddlemuffs are simple to make and can make a real difference to patients. Why not get a group together to share ideas and patterns?
What are TwiddleMuffs?
A T
widdlemuff is a thick hand muff which has bits and bobs attached to the inside and out. It is designed to provide a stimulation activity for restless hands for patients with dementia.
People with dementia may develop various restless behaviours such as fidgeting. Experts say that giving that person something to occupy their hands can benefit them. Twiddlemuffs provide a source of visual, tactile and sensory stimulation at the same time as keeping hands snug and warm.
Twiddlemuffs have also been shown to have benefits for patients with learning disabilities and patients receiving chemotherapy.
SaTH, along with our Patient Experience and Involvement Panel, have created a number of Twiddlemuffs, along with these web page so you can have a go at making your own for us to hand out to patients we think would benefit from them.
Print friendly instructions on how to make a Twiddlemuff can be found here:
Classic Teddy Bear Knitting Pattern
Downloadable Twiddlemuff Crocher
So now that you have made your Twiddlemuffs, what should you do with them?
Specially labelled collection boxes for your Twiddlemuffs are available at both of our Hospitals.
They are easy to spot (see image, right) and can be found at the following locations:
Royal Shrewsbury Hospital – Ward Block Entrance
Princess Royal Hospital – Outpatients Department
If you would like to donate any items – no sharp items please – please place them together in a bag and drop them off at the locations listed above. Don’t worry if you don’t knit, you can still help out. Donations of wool to help our knitters are always welcome, along with items to twiddle, such as buttons, ribbons, zips or textured fabrics.
Your stories: Our creative Twiddlemuff contributors
We want to say a huge “Thank You” to everybody who has contributed to our Twiddlemuffs project. Without you, this scheme would never have got off the ground. Below you will see some of the fantastic contributions we have received so far.
If you have made Twiddlemuffs for our hospitals, let us know. Email your details – and pictures if you wish – to sath.commsteam@nhs.net
