Fidget Quilts Now Available to Friendship Center Members

Presented by Quilters Guild of Santa Barbara and Goleta, CA In August 2017 the Quilters Guild of Santa Barbara and Goleta, CA presented members of Friendship Center adult day services with 52 beautiful fidget quilts. Each one of these quilts is a unique piece of art. Each quilt has its own theme and its own personality. Every quilt is equipped with carefully placed tactile features designed to soothe and amuse patients afflicted with advanced dementia. Advanced dementia patients usually crave activities they can perform with their hands. These quilts contain an array of items with which patients can fidget, and safely handle, examine, and hold. Besides beautiful, often whimsical fabrics, quilters cleverly employed a variety of common, everyday household items in the making of the quilts. Beads, chains, keys, zippers, floss, sponges, hairbands, and even a mop, can be identified in the designs. Each quilt is full of little hidden surprises: pockets that hold small treasures, socks that become hand puppets, squares of fabric that become a pop-up book… Materials with a wide variety of textures were employed to provide a rich tactile experience. Themes were used with the hopes that each quilt would find its soul-mate, and a patient’s interests and personality will have a quilt to match. The craftsmanship of each piece is outstanding, and shows the high level of care and thought invested into every design. For families caring for loved ones with dementia quilts such as these are invaluable. They provide hours of safe entertainment and activities to patients who otherwise would be disconnected and isolated. Handling fidget quilts also helps patients fight anxiety, and keep from doing any unwanted activities with their hands, such as picking on themselves, pulling their own hair, or rummaging. These quilts are given to Friendship Center members and their families, and help them care for their loved ones in their own homes longer, delaying the necessity of moving the patient into a care facility. Friendship Center staff, members, and their families are forever grateful for the gift of healing these quilts provide. I you think your loved one would benefit from using one of these wonderful quilts, please stop by the Friendship Center in Montecito or in Goleta to select a perfect quilt to match his/hers interests. They have been lovingly created and we hope they will help a lot of families! For more information, please contact us at 805 969-0859.