I decided I would join in the Alzheimer’s research knit every day in March, partly to spur me on with my knitting, which in recent months has been crucial to my mental health, to focus on making the twiddle muffs and toys that I have been wanting to make for people with Dementia at my local care home and to raise money for much needed research.
I am using the following patterns;
Fidget Toy
There are plenty of patterns online most of them are free. Details of places wanting donated items can also be found by searching online or contacting local organisations.
The yarn I used for this twiddle toy is a discontinued yarn that has been in my stash for a while. These projects are ideal for using oddments. It is a 10 ply or Aran weight, called Peter Pan Darling Fleck, but any yarn can be used. The size of finished object will vary with different yarns. The pattern consists of only 10 rows, but goes from 25 to 200 stitches, unless you are me and do too many repetitions and end up with 400! I left it rather than unravel it, so my finished item is larger, luckily I was using circular needles so had room for all the stitches. Once the knitted piece is finished it is twisted and then sewed together and looks a bit like a fluffy shower puff. The user can then fiddle with it to calm them and keep hands occupied.
Stats
Dementia is a condition which affects around 982,000 in the UK. The numbers of those with Dementia is rising and is expect to be about 1.4m by 2040. One in two of us will be affected by dementia in our lifetime, either by caring for someone with the condition, developing it ourselves, or both. 1 in14 people over 65 have dementia and 65% of dementia sufferers are women. (Alzheimer’s research UK)
Facts
“Dementia is not a disease in itself. Dementia is a word used to describe a group of symptoms that occur when brain cells stop working properly. There are different types of dementia, caused by different diseases that affect the brain.” (ARUK)
Knitting can actually help prevent Dementia as it “provides significant mental and physical health benefits, acting as a meditative practice that reduces stress, lowers heart rate/blood pressure, and eases anxiety. It enhances cognitive function, potentially slowing dementia, while boosting mood, fostering creativity, improving dexterity, and reducing chronic pain” (AI summary)
I believe that for older people who knit they will have been taught at an early age and it is ingrained so they can pick it up and knit without having to think about it too much. I attend a knitting group at my local care home and they all say “my Mum taught me and I have knitted all sorts over the years.”
My Grandma was a prolific knitter she always had something on the go. She knitted for her two children and then her 3 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. She also made shirts for Oxfam that were sent out to African countries for orphaned children, dolls clothes, blankets, fingerless mitts, legwarmers and much more. She knitted even when she had terrible arthritis and then also when she lost her sight, as she could still do simple things by feel. She knitted up to her death aged 94. I still have some of the dolls clothes she made for my daughters dolls and a blanket she crocheted for my cat!
In the last few months of last year we were making frequent journeys to York up the A1 and A64, awful roads that I hate and that have daily accidents. I was a nervous wreck and one day took some knitting along as a distraction. I am now much calmer when travelling and I made my daughter a blanket for her Uni room which she loves, several scarves and started a cushion cover. The added benefit is it keeps you warm in the car too! The road is unlit in places, but I found with the chunky yarn I didn’t need to be able to see that much. (P.S I am a passenger not the driver!)
Due to my own cognitive issues I find following patterns very difficult so need simple patterns and have to write out instructions to keep me on track. It does also mean that I often have several attempts before I get it right. I used to knit more complicated patterns including picture sweaters. I made the one below for my Mum when I was at Uni.
(Richard Briers in dog sweater taken from Gyles Brandreth book (found on internet))
Research from the University of Helsinki highlights that knitting and similar “grandma hobbies” offer significant mental health, cognitive, and longevity benefits. Studies suggest that the rhythmic, repetitive nature of knitting acts as active meditation, lowering cortisol, reducing anxiety, and improving brain health. The main finding of research are;
Key Findings on Knitting Research
- Mental Well-being & Calm: Knitting acts as a therapeutic tool, reducing stress and inducing a calm, meditative state that lowers cortisol levels.
- Cognitive Health: Engaging in crafts like knitting can reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment by 30% to 50%. It supports long-term brain health, strengthening memory, focus, and cognitive flexibility.
- Brain Rewiring: The activity interrupts negative, ruminative thought patterns and helps build positive neural pathways.
- Physical & Social Benefits: It fosters a sense of purpose and accomplishment, with some studies suggesting these hobbies contribute to increased longevity.
- Multimodality in Patterns: The University of Helsinki’s Helda repository holds research regarding how knitting patterns function as communicative, multimodal texts, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. (AI summary).
I have recently seen that knitting can also benefit people with ADHD, something which myself and my daughter have recently been diagnosed with, the benefits are thought to be;
“Knitting offers significant ADHD benefits by acting as a form of “active meditation” that calms the mind, reduces restlessness, and improves focus through repetitive motion. It provides tactile stimulation, boosts dopamine via a sense of accomplishment, and helps manage impulsivity by engaging both hands and brain.”
“Key ADHD-specific benefits of knitting include:
- Anxiety & Restlessness Management: The rhythmic, repetitive motions act as a calming, grounding tool that helps soothe an overactive mind, similar to fidgeting but in a productive way.
- Improved Focus & Cognitive Stimulation: The need to count stitches and follow patterns provides necessary mental stimulation, often leading to a “flow state” that reduces distraction.
- Dopamine Boost: Completing projects, from small items to larger garments, offers a tangible sense of accomplishment, boosting self-esteem.
- Sensory Regulation: Working with soft textures (wool, cotton) offers sensory input that can be comforting and grounding.
- Reduced Impulsivity: By keeping hands occupied, it can reduce fidgeting, nail-biting, or other compulsive behaviours, acting as a productive fidget toy.
For many with ADHD, it acts as a creative,, productive way to “reset” the brain.”
(AI Summary)
My daughter has recently decided to try knitting after my many failed attempts at trying to teach her when she was younger and has admitted she likes it and finds it calming.
If you wish to learn more about the ARUK fundraiser check out this link
If you wish to sponsor me check out this link or if you have any wool you would be able to donate for the items I am making or to be used by the residents at my local care home please contact me
Also a shout out to a Hobby shop we have discovered in Leeds that has a huge selection of wool and patterns, they also stock the ROKR models that my husband loves to build. The people who run the shop are very friendly and helpful. The Hobby Shop 22 Stanks Parade Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom, LS14 5PL
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