Fidget mats encourage fine motor skills, sensory stimulation for those with Alzheimer’s | Arts & entertainment | fredericknewspost.com

2022-09-24 07:50:59 By : Mr. Jack Shi

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.

Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.

Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.

Log in or read 2 more articles before registering, and 8 before becoming a member.

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in or create an account to continue reading.

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your registered account or create an account to receive 6 more articles over the next 30 days. join now for unlimited access.

Share unlimited digital access with 4 family members… join now.

Thank you for reading! To continue reading your local news, please register for free. Or join for unlimited access. (Already a member? Log in.)

Thank you for reading! To continue reading your local news, please register for free. Or join for unlimited access. (Already a member? Log in.)

Local news and analysis – and much more. By joining you get unlimited access to it all.Join now.

Share unlimited digital access with 4 family members… join now.

Thank you for reading! To continue reading your local news, please register for free. Or join for unlimited access. (Already a member? Log in.)

Checking back? Since you viewed this item previously you can read it again.

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.

Please purchase a subscription to continue reading.

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content.

You get home delivery Monday through Saturday – plus full digital access any time, on any device – with our six-day subscription delivery membership.

This membership plan includes member-only benefits like our popular ticket giveaways, all of our email newsletters and access to the daily digital replica of the printed paper. Also, you can share digital access with up to four other household members at no additional cost.

Subscriptions renew automatically every 30 days. Call 240-215-8600 to cancel auto-renewal. Most subscribers are served by News-Post carriers; households in some outlying areas receive same-day delivery through the US Postal Service. If your household falls in a postal delivery area, you will be notified by our customer service team.

With our four-day Wednesday-through-Saturday home delivery package, you get home delivery of our popular Food and 72 Hours sections as well as the full Saturday-Sunday weekend paper.

And, as with all of our packages, you get full access to all of our online content, any day and on any device.

Membership includes access to newsletters, special offers and the ability to share your subscription with up to four additional household members.

Subscriptions renew automatically every 30 days. Call 240-215-8600 to cancel auto-renewal. Most subscribers are served by News-Post carriers; households in some outlying areas receive same-day delivery through the US Postal Service. If your household falls in a postal delivery area, you will be notified by our customer service team.

With a digital-only membership subscription, you get individual access to all of our online content, 24/7, on any device.

Digital memberships qualify for special member benefits, like our popular ticket giveaways.

Plus you get access to the ePages, a digital replica of the printed paper, and all of our email newsletters.

Subscriptions renew automatically every 30 days. Call 240-215-8600 to cancel auto-renewal.

Our short-term pass is the digital equivalent of buying a couple of papers at the corner store. You can access all of our digital content for 48 hours with each non-renewing pass.

Sorry, no member giveaways, custom newsletters, linked accounts or ePages access with short-term passes.

Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code.

Promotional Rates were found for your code.

Staying true to their mission to be of service to their community, members of the Clustered Spires Quilt Guild work on several projects throughout the year and donate quilts and blankets — and occasionally fidget mats — to individuals, nonprofits, senior centers and others in need in the Frederick area.

Fidget mats are small, sewn quilts that include various trinkets and fabric textures. They are designed for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as some disorders on the autism spectrum, to engage with and keep their hands occupied. They are relatively small, so as to be suitable to put in a person’s lap or on a tabletop in front of them.

Last fall, guild members created fidget mats to donate to the dementia unit at Homewood. Olga Schrichte, longtime quilter and member of the guild, taught members her method for making the mats and showed examples.

“Think of it as an activity mat for an adult, rather than a child,” Schrichte said.

Several members created additional mats to give to friends and family.

Guild member Becky Lyon created two for the husband of friend Sally Sinn.

“When he got home from rehab, Becky came by with her prototype, and it was a hit. He responded to it so well,” recalled Sinn, who cares for her husband at their home. “I hung it on the wall so he could reach over at night and feel it.”

Sinn’s husband, Alvin Barnes, is 88 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about 10 years ago. Sinn said his disease is advanced to the point where he explores his world through touch and tactile sensations. He has not been able to respond to a vision test for about two years, so she is not sure how well he can see, making the sense of touch all the more important.

“He will reach out and touch my sweater,” she said. “It’s important for him to relate to his world this way. The fidget mats are soothing to him in two ways: It’s something he can manage with his fine motor skills, and it’s familiar to him. When he’s at the table, I can see him looking for the fidget mat if it’s not in front of him.”

Lyon said anyone with a sewing machine and basic sewing skills can learn to make a fidget mat and customize it to the recipient. They can be as simple or elaborate as desired.

“Birthdays and Christmas would come around, and what do you get him?” Sinn said about her husband. “Fidget mats were the perfect gift for him.”

Mats have three layers, much like a quilt: the top fabric, flannel backing and a stabilizer in between. Flannel makes a great stabilizer fabric. Whatever stabilizer you choose, it should not be too floppy or too firm.

Mats should be small enough to fit in a lap and are usually a bit larger than a placemat but not too large as to be overwhelming.

An alternative to a fidget mat, for the more advanced seamster or seamstress, is a fidget apron — a wearable fidget mat.

Find fabric and items suitable for the person you’re making the fidget mat for. Think of that person’s hobbies and favorite color schemes when finding fabric and other items for the fidget mat. Do they love butterflies? Baseball? Gardening? The ocean? You can find just about anything on fabric. You can also print family photos on fabric to bring personal memories to the project.

You might want to incorporate an article of their clothing or a favorite old key or piece or jewelry.

• a variety of textures in fabric, such as satin, lace, Minkee, corduroy, cork, faux-leather, mesh, etc. (fabric scraps are available at most sewing and craft stores)

• buttons, snaps, zippers, ribbon, string, beads, shoelaces, bells, etc. to provide sensory stimulation

• pockets that open and close to hold items or a clear vinyl window to hold a photo of a pet of loved one

Make sure everything on the mat is machine washable and durable.

Secure all items on the mat or have a place for them to be stored, such as a pocket that shuts with Velcro.

Do not use slippery fabric like satin on the back, as you don’t want it to slide off a table or lap. Olga Schrichte recommends using flannel on the back.

For detailed instructions and resources, see https://4h.ucanr.edu/files/287219.pdf.

The Clustered Spires Quilt Guild meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick. Members range from beginners to experts, and meetings are open to everyone. Learn more at clusteredspiresquiltguild.org.

Lauren LaRocca is features editor at the Frederick News-Post and also works as an herbalist and astrologer.

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Your comment has been submitted.

There was a problem reporting this.

Keep it clean. No vulgar, racist, sexist or sexually-oriented language. Engage ideas. This forum is for the exchange of ideas, not personal attacks or ad hominem criticisms. TURN OFF CAPS LOCK. Be civil. Don't threaten. Don't lie. Don't bait. Don't degrade others. No trolling. Stay on topic. No spamming. This is not the place to sell miracle cures. No deceptive names. Apparently misleading usernames are not allowed. Say it once. No repetitive posts, please. Help us. Use the 'Report' link for abusive posts.

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments.

The yard sale will be held rain or shine.

Dogs are welcome along the route, activities along the way. Course maps available day of eve…

Also open Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays noon to 6 p.m. and weekdays by appointment for …

Family-friendly, German folk music, kids' corner with moon bounce, crafts and games, shoppin…

A gathering of hundreds of Jeeps, dealer displays, Jeep contests (mods, paint jobs, dirties,…

Journey through Frederick’s gruesome and bloody past. Nearly 300 years of war, executions an…

We welcome community submissions to our calendar. Post your events in the full calendar, under "Calendar & events" above.

The yard sale will be held rain or shine.

Dogs are welcome along the route, activities along the way. Course maps available day of eve…

Also open Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays noon to 6 p.m. and weekdays by appointment for …

Family-friendly, German folk music, kids' corner with moon bounce, crafts and games, shoppin…

A gathering of hundreds of Jeeps, dealer displays, Jeep contests (mods, paint jobs, dirties,…

Journey through Frederick’s gruesome and bloody past. Nearly 300 years of war, executions an…

Gates open at 7 p.m.

In-person and virtual options available.

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner invites the public to her annual Legislative Town Hal…

Holding drop-in hours and services to discuss employment needs and opportunities for interes…

Keep the conversation about local news & events going by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Recent updates from The News-Post and also from News-Post staff members are compiled below.

Our local business directory includes detailed information for featured businesses as well as customer reviews and direct links to related events.

Stay informed of daily news & events in your community for as little as $3.25 a week.

The Frederick News-Post is printed by FNP Printing and Publishing.