Using her textile talents, a local crochet artist has hooked into making life easier for Alzheimer’s patients in the Shuswap.
Deena Beaudoin was inspired to start making fidget cuffs for Alzheimer’s patients after seeing a post made to the Shuswap Everything Friendly Goes Facebook page in January. Fidgeting can be a result of stress experienced by patients who, in some cases, will pick at their own skin. Both fidget blankets and cuffs can redirect these tendencies.
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Beaudoin makes her cuffs using a combination of different crocheting patterns and beads woven into pieces to create different textures and things for the patients to fiddle with. Having made two cuffs so far, Beaudoin has learned of a demand for such items from local seniors care homes.
Both Beaudoin’s grandfather and great-aunt developed Alzheimer’s, so working on the cuffs is a meaningful task for her.
“I think it’s great, for me; I’m someone who can’t sit idle either, so doing the crocheting is something that keeps my hands busy,” Beaudoin said.
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Beaudoin will be working on six cuffs for residents of Bastion Place in Salmon Arm and hopes to sell more through her Facebook page Love’n Loops by Dee.
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