Hello friends, you may want to grab a beverage before reading this post. Today I'm sharing a special gift that is near and dear to my heart because I made it for my Mother who has been suffering from Alzheimer's for the last five years. As you probably gathered from the title of this post, I made her a Busy Blanket also known as a Multi-Sensory Fidget Blanket but before I share the details of what that is or how I made it, I'm going to get a little personal about her journey with this nasty disease.

Alzheimer's Multi-Sensory Busy Blanket or Fidget Blanket

Her symptoms of dementia started to become apparent in her late 60's, shortly after my Father's sudden passing in 2005. She managed to live independently for seven years in a seniors apartment within blocks of the home she and Dad raised their seven children (I am the eldest). For the last two of those years there was a noticeable decline and after a fall, which landed her in the hospital for two weeks, she was assessed and placed directly from the hospital into a designated assisted living facility (a small suite within a senior's retirement village where in-suite health care and daily meals were provided).

Her mother also battled this disease but Nana's decline was far worse. It dramatically changed both my Nana's and my Mom's physical appearance. Mom went from a size 16 to a 10 in a matter of months and she looks much older and far too frail for her 79 years.

Within two and a half years of living in the assisted living environment, her dementia took another decline. She was often found wandering in the night and getting lost when navigating her way to and from the dining room. At this point, she was reassessed and sadly, she has spent the last two and a half years in a secured dementia unit within that same facility. She stopped any interest in watching television or reading her beloved Catherine Cookson novels and spent her hours pacing up and down the halls with her walker.


I firmly believe that had she received my gift back when she was first admitted, she would have faired much-better-having something to keep her fidgeting hands busy and mind focused away from all the chaos that surrounded her on a daily basis. Especially during the last 3-4 months when her knees could no longer support her tiny frail body and she became wheelchair bound, spending many restless idle hours in her chair.

In October Mom was moved to a long-term care facility, literally across the street from the senior's apartment she lived in after Dad's death. Talk about coming full circle! We were so worried that the move would cause another major decline. I am happy to report that within one month she gained four pounds, her smile has returned, she is looking up again and taking in her surroundings. Much to our surprise, she is saying some articulate words and sometimes small sentences (she has been non-verbal for the last two years). While she continues to talk mostly gibberish and doesn't know our names or whether we are her children, she does recognize our faces as someone she knows.

A few months ago a friend introduced me to the concept of a Busy/Fidget Blanket for those suffering from Alzheimer's or Dementia. It is a multi-sensory activity lap blanket that keeps their restless fingers busy while calming their fearful minds. As soon as I saw the photo, I knew I had to make one for my Mom (thank you, Lynn). While Mom has started enjoying watching television again, her hands remain very restless.

Her favorite color is green and I was thrilled when I found this mint green fringed fleece blanket at Wal-Mart as a warm base for Mom's wheelchair lap blanket. Now for adding the multi-sensory elements onto the blanket.


When my sister and I went through Mom's closet preparing to pack her belongings for the move, I took a few garments home that had permanent stains. Any of the clothing too big for her we donated to the unit for the ladies without families who rarely receive new clothing, if at all. I used the zippers, flaps, and pockets of Mom's garments along with a few things from my own closet and craft stash to create these multi-sensory elements.

Multi-Sensory Elements:

Before adding the multi-sensory elements I folded the fleece blanket in half and marked the center with pins. I did this for three reasons:

1. Because this is a "wheelchair lap blanket" you don't want the blanket to be too long.
2. You want all the elements to be within reach, therefore only sewing them to one-half of the blanket.
3. When laundering the blanket, it can be folded in half so the elements are on the inside and secured by tieing the fleece ties together on the top and bottom corners.

Zipper and Buttons

Pocket

Cuffs

Bead Strand and Flap Pouch

Circle Loop Scarf

Peek-a-Boo Photo Window Flap

Ribbon

Securing the blanket to a wheelchair