The award, presented to

Handmade for Dementia

for their devised,

Dementia Cannula Sleeves. 

http:www.itv.com/news/granada/topic/dementia

Chris Matheson, Sharon and Caroline Dineage, Care Minister and Ladies from Handmade for Dementia

Andy Bonner from Granada Reports filmed Handmade for Dementia at Aintree University Hospital.

Chester MP Chris Matheson displaying a Handmade for Dementia Cannula Sleeve

   http:/www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48335245

Sharon was a volunteer at The Hospice of the Good Shepherd in Chester where she was first introduced to the NHS pattern of the Dementia Twiddle Mitt.  She started knitting them and soon realised that the care homes that she sings at would benefit their residents living with dementia.  These individuals are normally with middle to later stages of the disease, when they are more anxious and agitate more easily.  The Twiddle Items are known to ease these symptoms.

After realising that more people would be required to help as many care homes and hospitals as possible, Handmade for Dementia North West group was started on Facebook.  Kings College and Princess Royal Hospitals in London heard about the group and requested Twiddle Mitts also. The group then became National and now International

The ladies make and donate Dementia Twiddle Mitts, Bags, Mats, Fidget Blankets, Comfort Dolls and more recently have trialled, successfully, Dementia Cannula Sleeve at The Countess of Chester Hospital.

The Dementia Cannula Sleeve is the same principle as the Twiddle Mitt, however it is longer, more like a cardigan or jumper sleeve.  This have been devised by Handmade for Dementia for the patient to wear on their arm, over the "obtrusive" needle in the patient's eyes, then hopefully not realise that there is a needle in their arm and try to pull it out.

                    Sue Stowe, a Dementia Nurse from The Countess of Chester said                                      "We would like to thank Sharon and her team at Handmade for Dementia for all the hard work they put in voluntarily to supply us with their amazing twiddle items.

We were so proud to be their 1000th donation. The twiddle items provide much needed stimulus for those patients in the Countess of Chester and Ellesmere Port hospitals who are affected by dementia.

The items are very well made and quality tested which ensures they are safe for our patients to use. 

We are proud to have trialled and found successfull, the Dementia Cannula Sleeve here at the Countess of Chester".

BBC NORTH WEST TONIGHT CHRISTMAS STAR AWARD

Handmade for Dementia, founded by Sharon, have devised and  own the copyright to the Dementia Cannula Sleeve. 

9367 DCS have been made and donated to 102 NHS hospitals since January 2018.

 Thus saving the NHS thousands of pounds through not having to re-cannulate a person affected by dementia