Dumfries and Galloway’s Dementia Love Blanket

Lorraine Haining speaks about her innovative social media campaign to get people thinking about care

I was very lucky to be sponsored by my Director of Nursing and Lead Nurse from Dumfries & Galloway NHS to undertake the Queens Nurse Institute Award (Scotland).

After a formal selection process I was accepted to undertake the award and my first experience with the other candidates across Scotland was a workshop at the Balbirnie Hotel in Dunfermline, where we spent a week getting to know each other, the mentors and what was expected of us as Queens Nurses.

This experience was just incredible and very hard to describe to colleagues. It was almost a spiritual regeneration of my identity as a nurse but also touched me on a personal level. On my return I described it as being wrapped in a Love Blanket with the other ‘Queenies’ with our mentors comforting, nurturing and regenerating our drive and passion for the nursing profession. During this time I was able to recognise the focus of my project which would be about ‘looking after staff and carers of people with dementia’ by supporting and ensuring they also have their psychological needs met which in turn will help them to deliver the very best person centred care for the people they live and work with.

On 17th March I started Appreciative Friday on our Facebook page and every week I post a Thank You and positive message to all those people who live and work with people with dementia. This has been really well received and each week the posts are shared and are reaching hundreds of people.

After discussion with my coach regarding the experience at Balbirnie, I decided to create the Love Blanket and ask our partners, people with dementia and their families to contribute to the creation of the blanket and the response was overwhelming!

18th May: Appreciative Friday

The IDEAS Team would like to ask a favour of you:

We would like to develop the biggest Dumfries & Galloway ‘Dementia Love Blanket’ for people with dementia, their families and staff.

This concept came to me after my first workshop on the Queens Nurse Award where I felt that I had been wrapped in a great big love blanket with my other Queens Nurse colleagues and we were nurtured, invigorated, inspired and developed to be the very best we can be, both in our jobs and in our personal lives, with wonderful mentors providing guidance and reassurance along our journey.

So my request is that you knit us some squares (approx 6” x 6”) and send them to us, or we can pick them up. They can be any colour or texture we don’t mind, and if you wish to place anything on your knitted square such as the initials of a loved one, a symbol representing you or something you believe in we would love that! We will then stitch these together to create a massive Dementia Love Blanket that can wrap around all of you to support you through whatever journey you are on so you don’t feel that you are on your own.

We would also be grateful if you could share this with anyone you know who would be willing to knit for us and contribute.

If you want any further information you can contact Lorraine through IDEAS Facebook Page etc

25th May: Appreciative Friday

Today we want to thank everyone for their passionate and enthusiastic response last week for donations to our Dementia Love Blanket, the response has been incredible with it reaching over 7000 people in just 6 days!

Thank you all so much and I can’t wait to see it completed!

So today we share a marvellous quote from the inspirational Helen Keller that just says it all:

‘Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.’

As of July we have had many more donations and pledges from far and wide and we have now received 725 knitted squares, so please watch this space!!

If you are interested in contributing to Lorraine’s campaign you can contact the IDEAS team Facebook page (this link will take you away from our website).

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