NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has recently donated wool to be made into a sensory item for dementia patients called ‘twiddlemuffs’.

The specially-knitted hand muffs have items such as buttons, ribbons or textured fabric attached to keep dementia patients who may become agitated busy with their hands. They are now being used nationally in a lot of hospitals around the UK.

Brendan Prescott, deputy chief nurse at the CCG said: “We were in a meeting with one of the local hospitals when we spotted the colourful knitted ‘twiddlemuffs’ on the tables which sparked a conversation about how the Swan Centre, a local charity in Bootle made them for people with dementia. We were able to take one back to show colleagues at the CCG and we decided to donate some wool to help them create more as they are increasingly in demand.

“Joan and Rita from the Swan Centre were really pleased to receive it and have said they will deliver them to local hospitals once they are made.”

Dementia is important to the CCG and it is working towards becoming ‘dementia friendly’ and encouraging GP practices to become “dementia friends” too. The CCG signed a pledge with Sefton Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) earlier in the year, supporting the national movement to bring about a society wide response to dementia.

Learning a little bit more about what it's like to live with dementia and then turning that understanding into action is what dementia friends do. From telling friends about dementia friends to visiting someone you know living with dementia, every action counts.