Local Caldwell knitting group makes blankets donates to seniors with dementia

A local knitting group in Caldwell presented 'fidget' blankets for seniors with the dementia at the Copperas Hollow Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Monday.

• "Knot Just Knitting" is a local volunteer group at the Harrie P. Woodson Memorial Library in Caldwell.
• The group works on new projects each month to help the community.
• This month volunteers made "fidget" blankets to help seniors living with dementia at the Copperas Hollow Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

It's a lifelong hobby turned philanthropic for Janie Mitchell.

"This is something that I just love," she said.

She's talking about knitting.

"Over 55 years, I've been playing, needlework has been my thing," Mitchell said.

But this time, she's putting needle to yarn to help her community.

She's a member of the "Knot Just Knitting" club at the Harrie P. Woodson Library in Caldwell.

The organization is made up of volunteers.

They start a new project each month.

"What we done was, we come up with what they call a 'fidget' blanket, and it's for people with dementia and those kind of things that they have to have something in their hands to fidget with," Mitchell said.

The blankets are going to seniors living with dementia at the Copperas Hollow nursing home.

A diagnosis becoming more common with about 1 in every 10 older American diagnosed.

Activities director Jolynn Maples tells me it'll help trigger memories .

"It will keep them busy with their hands and kinda like they'll touch this and kind of bring up a memory," Maples said.

Now, Janie is motivated to get started on the next project.

"Did you ever see yourself,you know, knitting for the community or have you always done that?"

"No, I have never seen myself do that," Mitchell said.