Fidget blankets donated to Spring Arbor residents
Spring Arbor’s Activity Director Andrew Mozingo works with volunteers to organize fidget blankets made for residents. Photo by Kristy Bock / Neuse News
By Kristy Bock / Special to Neuse News
Three sisters recently donated 20 fidget blankets to Kinston’s Spring Arbor Senior Living home.
Spring Arbor residents enjoy their new fidget blankets. Photo by Kristy Bock / Neuse News
Melissa Dixon of Rocky Mount, Cathy Peele of Williamston and Laurie Bowen of Williamston wanted to do something in honor of their grandmother, Laura Swanner who passed away from Alzheimer’s. Through their love of sewing, they came up with the idea of fidget blankets after Laurie researched the disease that took the life of her grandmother.
Using repurposed items around their homes — or items donated from the kindness of others — the sisters designed blankets that will allow the Spring Arbor residents to engage themselves with independent activities to keep their hands active.
Melissa’s son-in-law Andrew Mozingo is Spring Arbor’s activity director and she wanted to provide the first batch of blankets to him for the residents under his care. As a former resident of Kinston, Dixon believes in the importance of helping in one’s community, and along with her sisters will be creating more fidget blankets for other senior centers in their cities.
Sisters Cathy Peele, Laurie Bowen, and Melissa Dixon helped create fidget blankets. Photo by Kristy Bock / Neuse News
Fidget blankets are designed to provide sensory stimulation for those who struggle with dementia or other memory-related illnesses. It enables those inflicted to sit independently and utilize the blanket to calm or assist with an agitated state.
The residents were excited over the gifts and began to explore the blankets within moments of them being placed on their laps. Stephanie King, the director of the memory care unit spoke of the fidget blankets’ usefulness for her residents. She said the different textures and colors the blankets provide will assist with anxiety and provide a calming activity.
Mozingo was grateful for both the gifts for his residents, but also the timing of the gift. He said in months like December that have a major holiday, the community reaches out to its senior residents, but during the rest of the year, there isn’t as much community involvement.
