This week’s project is the next challenge in our International blogger club.  This month’s theme is “Hooked on Crochet”. I have no idea how to crochet but I did have a try and failed miserably. A basic crocheted square would not impress anyone in my opinion. So instead of pulling out of the challenge, I cheated.  I got a friend from work to crochet this mini lap mat that I would turn into a dementia sensory lap mat.

I have worked as an aged care nurse for 15 years but I am no expert on their use for dementia patients.  But here is what the experts say.

Benefits of a sensory lap mat

Creating sensory experiences through the use of fiddle boards, twiddle mats and aprons, different textured objects, and visual and smell activities have been used for a number of years in aged care facilities and hospitals in Western Australia, nationwide, and overseas, to help improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia.

Items such as sensory mats provide engagement that can be calming, prompt special memories or a sense of usefulness, or evoke feelings of joy. This can lead to sustained periods of improved mood and self-esteem and increased social interaction. The full article can be found here.

For my project, I wanted to create a dementia sensory lap mat using recycled jewellery and other items that had great texture on the surface. Over the years I have noticed agitated patients who use these mats become calm and contented.  They will sit and touch all the items and interact with the items such as the zippers and buttons.

How to make a dementia sensory lap mat

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Making the base

I started with a crocheted mat measuring 60 cm long by 40 cm wide, this size will fit comfortably on their lap.

The idea I had was to have the sides open with some beads sewed inside the tube. This will allow the patient to put their hands inside and feel the items.

Decorating the sensory lap mat

For this project, I used mainly recycled broken jewellery that I use to create texture for my mixed media art projects. I chose items that I thought were visibly appealing and had great textures that they would enjoy touching.  Also, be aware to choose items that have no sharp edges that can cause harm to the patients. A great place to find these items are at your local charity/thrift store.

To attach the items to the mat I used heavy-duty cotton, I had this leftover from the outdoor awnings I recently made.

Here are the items that I used. I used a broken pearl necklace which has great texture around the sides with the pearls having a smooth feel with leather tassels. The metal hoops were repurposed from an old handbag strap to which I attached a colourful plastic bead. I thought the cross would be appropriate because most of our elderly residents are very religious.

I added a button and cord that can be opened and closed. And as a focal point, I added a large plastic disc with great textures and the stone in the middle which feels cool to the touch.

Adding interactive items

Below, I used another loop from an old handbag and added some beads with assorted textures and shapes.

On the inside of the crocheted tube, I sewed an assortment of beads.

Here are a few ideas if you want to make your sensor lap mat more interactive. You can sew a zipper onto the mat so that the patient will be able to open and close the zipper.  To open a zipper and find nothing inside could be disappointing so I added a few beads on the inside.

You can also shorten a belt and attach it to the mat, you will find the patient will try and open and close it.  I also added some large beads on a shoelace with different textures that the patient to pick up and play with.

I sewed a tube using some scrap satin fabric and sewed some beads inside the tube.  The patient can fiddle with the beads moving them around inside the satin tube.

I added a large key on a chain and what I believe are shirt sleeve holders.

There are many styles of Dementia sensory mats, below are a few we have at our facility. The sensory mat that I made has items that are very different from the standard mat.  But so far it has had the same effect.

In the past, I have made a few projects for our aged care home, the most popular being this horse racing game.

I also made this perpetual calendar so our residents could see the day and date without having to ask the staff.

More about IBC

If you follow my blog you will know I am part of IBC (International Bloggers Club) which is a group of talented bloggers from around the world. We have members from Spain, South Africa, Australia, the United States, and Canada. Each month we come together and create a project with a common theme.

If you missed last month’s “Pleatherable Leather” theme here is the link to my Geometric leather lion wall hanging. The “Hooked on Crochet ” contributions from my fellow bloggers for this month’s challenge are listed below. Please feel free to jump over and give them some love.

1. Me
2. Songbird| More fun with plaster and doilies
3. Birdz of a feather | Crochet wall hanging pattern
4. A Crafty Mix|Doily air plant holder

If you are looking for any of the items used in this project, please consider using our links. By clicking on the links we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Which helps us come up with new and exciting ideas to share with you. Please feel free to share or leave a comment we would love to hear your thoughts.