Make your own sensory quilts to ease agitated or restless clients. Thank you Chantal for this wonderful idea!
This is one of many free activities.
Golden Carers has 1000s of activities and resources for senior care.

We have a dementia specific wing in our hostel which has some residents who the Lifestyle team believed would benefit from some sort of sensory 'settler', especially in the afternoons during sundowning.

So, we came up with the idea of sewing a Sensory Quilt for their lap which we place on their lap when they are getting agitated or restless.

The quilts were cut and tacked during a sewing session and one of the residents sewed it all together.

She added zips, assorted types of material, wooden beads, roping, ribbon etc to add to the tactility of the quilt.

I am very proud of our residents.

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Elizabeth 6th Jul 2021 Diversional Therapist
I am in the process of sewing sensory books with each "page" being a different material. Satin, tulle, fleecy lined, polyester fine scarf, various textured ones from cutting up clothing form the second hand shop, even found a pot holder that had lots of small pom poms attached together. They are not very big. Size of a very young child's hard cover book (bit bigger than an adult male hand). This way they can crunch the materials up in their hands, stroke them etc and they can still be tossed into the wash. Though hopefully, because they are a book they won't get drinks and food dropped on them as much.
Susan 7th Jul 2021 Activity Director
Hi Elizabeth
How ambitious of you
Thank you for sharing this information
Let us know how the books work out
Susan 4th Mar 2020 Activity Director
Thank you for sharing this Kathryn
Kathryn 3rd Mar 2020 Activities Director
We have fidget blankets, lap size. These were made by local church ladies. Each blanket has a variety of things to fidget:
zippers, velcro rip- offs, different textures to feel, etc. For ladies.

For men we have large squares made of wood with door lock chains to lock the door attached to the board along with other things men like to fiddle with. buckles, etc
ROCIO 21st Sep 2019 Student
I will do this for a lady where I am doing my workplacement, she is very agitated during sundowning.
Talita 23rd Sep 2019
Hi Rocio, thanks for your feedback, we'd love to hear how it goes.
Talita 7th Jul 2018
Yes, this a wonderful sensory tool to use! Another version of this activity is available here with diy instructions: https://www.goldencarers.com/how-to-make-sensory-blankets-for-dementia-care/5020/
Catalina 2nd Jul 2018 Activity Director
What a great idea! As a new director of activities I'm learning so much with your advices and technology again thank you!
The quilt blanket sensory its a big benefit for our residents
MaLourdes 8th Feb 2017 Student
The sensory lap quilt is very nice. I will try to make one for our residents.
Jacqui 5th Nov 2015 Diversional Therapist
great idea especially the idea for mens lap quilt thanks
Lynne 13th Mar 2014 recreational therapist
I have made a sensory mat specifically for gentleman: made out of 2 layers of heavy denim sewn in grids. I slipped a flat non-rusting metal washer into each grid before sewing the lines closed to provide weight, texture, and movement for exploring hands. On the "top" layer of denim, before sewing the grids, I attached leather lacing to be tied and untied, metal rings, a large "blokey" zipper, and even a man sized gardening glove sewn to the edge so a hand could be placed in the glove and used to explore the different textures. It is not as colourful as my Ladies lap mat but certainly suits the men.
clare 8th Apr 2016 Diversional Therapist
Thank you all so much for these fabulous ideas,especially love the quilt for men idea. We have a high number of men in our high dependency unit,and it is a challenge at times to find ideas that will help settle and relax them.
Kate 21st Feb 2013 leisure&Lifestyle assistant
great idea
Margaret 17th Feb 2013 recreational therapist
love the sensory mat. I have been looking for one of these but now we will make this as an activity.
colleen 13th Feb 2013 diversional therapist
Well done
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