One of the side effects of these diseases is described as busy hands. Fiddling with a zipper, buttons, pockets, shoe laces, towels etc. etc. etc.
To help keep busy hands busy and to help the patients with a sense of accomplishment someone came up with the brilliant idea of creating Busy Aprons. Essentially a busy apron is a butcher's style apron that has been embellished with simple activities and interesting textures.
It will be the next activity for the once Upon a Time Bee and I made up a sample the other night. Here is what I came up with:
On my apron I included chunky buttons, a Velcro key tab, a key ring, a tassel, a sideways pocket, a pocket held together by a ribbon bow, a big pocket, a bit of toweling, a chunky zipper with a ribbon pull tab, all with rick rack and other trims for more texture. I have space to add more things but for now I'm calling it done.
Other things I could have included were: shoe laces pulled through shoe grommets for lacing, a see through pocket for family photos, a key to something innocuous like a treasure box, big beads and cording for stringing, a soft toy tethered to a pocket, pompoms, ruffles, pockets for washable markers and a coloring book, laminated family pictures to dangle from a key ring, beads and sequins, all kinds of trims, a bow tie or regular tie to tie, cords/yarn to braid ... I think you get the idea.
Several web sites have more information on practical solutions to busy hands. Here are some that focus on Busy Aprons -
- Bibs with Dignity
- The Alzheimer's Store
- Dementia Activities
- Simplicity Pattern Company has an activity apron pattern 2623
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