REMINISCENCE rooms and 'twiddlemuffs' made by crafters have improved life for patients with dementia at Whiston Hospital.

A community craft group started producing blankets, quilts and twiddlemuffs for people living with dementia, after one member's husband was diagnosed with the illness.

The group also crafts quilts for premature babies and care home residents.

Member Alice, 84, said: "My husband was diagnosed with dementia when he was 79. He's passed away now, but when he went into hospital I told the staff about the group and that we'd like to make some blankets.

"My husband would be messing with his sheets in the hospital but once he was given a comfort blanket it was the best thing as he would play with that."

Lauren Hanson, dementia nurse specialist for St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Comfort blankets and twiddlemuffs provide simple stimulation for active hands.

"They have different textured fabrics, ribbons and zips sewn to them, which provide a great source of visual and tactile sensory stimulation for people living with dementia."

Marie Honey, nurse consultant for older people's services and the lead for dementia at the hospital, says reminiscence rooms, created at the hospital are also proving to be a "great resources".

She said: "These are safe spaces for people on our dementia wards and their visitors and carers, and we're constantly improving them. They're decorated in 1950s and 1960s style, with all the furnishings of the period, including mock retro TVs and radios preloaded with old programmes, films and music.

"We've also built a mock 1950s grocery store which is a great way for staff and patients to interact."

A campaign is underway to recruit and train more than 8,000 dementia friends in St Helens.

Anyone willing to get involved with quilt crafting or donate haberdashery materials can contact Lauren Hanson via lauren.hanson@sthk.nhs.uk.