When a patient with dementia enters the emergency department (ED), they may feel especially unsettled. They often don\u2019t know where they are or what\u2019s going on around them. The noises, bright lights and unknown people can cause confusion and fear. Sarah Shepherd, DO, an emergency medicine physician at Southern Maine Health Care (SMHC), had an innovative idea to help ease the anxiety with \u201cdementia blankets.\u201d Two years later, her idea has become a reality.<\/p>\n
The thought first came to Dr. Shepherd while she was working in the ED during a time when patients were not allowed to have visitors. As she passed through the halls, she became keenly aware that patients with dementia, who were all alone, looked especially afraid, sad and anxious. She wanted to do something that would provide comfort and keep their minds and hands engaged, so she began researching dementia blankets. Dementia blankets are soft and comfortable, with different textures, buttons and lace to keep patients\u2019 hands busy. The materials are safe, and the blankets are clinically proven to provide comfort and ease the anxiety of people with dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s. The smooth textures lull the patients\u2019 brain into a state of calm and security.<\/p>\n
Dr. Shepherd didn\u2019t know anything about sewing, so she teamed up with retired social worker and quilter Kathy Grosvenor to create a prototype. Dr. Shepherd shared the prototype with nursing leadership and asked for their feedback to ensure the blanket would be safe for hospital patients. Her friend Jen Langevin and Jen\u2019s 10-year-old daughter Paisley used the feedback to create the next version of the blanket. When it was finished, Dr. Shepherd gave the blanket and leftover supplies to Shelly Snow, Director of Spiritual and Pastoral Services at SMHC. Shelly began working with quilters at North Berwick Congregational Church (NBCC) to produce more blankets. The group has finished 25 blankets for the hospital. Each blanket is unique and SMHC has so far given out seven blankets, which patients can keep and take home with them.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhile responding to a code in the ED, I noticed that a gentleman on a stretcher near the room of the code appeared scared. This was not unusual, as it is normal for the ED to be chaotic, and patients deal with a lot of unknowns. After the code was over, I stopped by to check in on the gentleman. He was visibly shaking and rocking on the stretcher. His eyes were wide and tearful. I went to my office and returned with a dementia blanket. I placed it on his lap and his demeanor changed. He settled back into the stretcher. His shoulders lowered. His face relaxed into a smile \u2013 he held my hand with one of his while he brushed the velour part of the blanket and told me about the house he grew up in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2013 Chaplain Shelly Snow<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>