For Bozena Robertson, crocheting is kind of like baking SA国际影视传媒� it turns out best when made with love. 

Communities around the territory are feeling the warmth of that secret ingredient as Robertson donates handmade fidget blankets. 

Fidget blankets, sometimes called fidget quilts or activity blankets, are blankets with ribbons, zippers, buttons and other features to keep the userSA国际影视传媒檚 hands busy. The tactile therapy is often used as a means to help soothe those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's by busying restless hands.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou pour your intentions and energies into it and the person feels it,SA国际影视传媒� Robertson says.

Robertson, a Fort Smith resident, has now donated blankets to the Northern Lights Special Care Home in Fort Smith, Aven Manor in Yellowknife, and to a number of individuals who have asked Robertson for the blankets directly. Next, she wants to bring the blankets to Hay River.

The idea was born when Robertson had a crocheted blanket that she didnSA国际影视传媒檛 know what to do with, and then a friend suggested she turn it into an activity blanket. After that, Robertson put a call out on Facebook for wool donations and has since made close to 20 blankets with the help of friend Christine Aubrey. 

SA国际影视传媒淚f we keep getting the wool, weSA国际影视传媒檒l keep making them,SA国际影视传媒� Robertson says. SA国际影视传媒淚t feels good to make something that other people get use from.SA国际影视传媒�

Daryl Dolynny, CEO of Aven Manor, says, SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 communities helping communities.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚n a time of pandemics, I think that it is definitely worth noting,SA国际影视传媒� he says.

Tactile therapy is known to help with short and long-term memory, Dolynny explains. As the centre canSA国际影视传媒檛 accept visitors during the pandemic, even popular pet therapy has been put on hold. As such, the blankets are an especially welcome gift. 

SA国际影视传媒淲e feel that this is going to be a nice addition to our wellness program until such time as we're able to get our full program with pets back on track,SA国际影视传媒� Dolynny says.

He adds that they do have other forms of tactile therapy in-house, but SA国际影视传媒渆very time we can add a different tool, or a different process or procedure involved with helping with short-term and long-term memory, of course we're going to be doing so.SA国际影视传媒�

Laurie Grande, a regional lead for the AB and NWT Alzheimer's Society, says that the quilts are expensive to buy SA国际影视传媒渟o it's wonderful that people in the community are able to put some effort into making them for us because it's probably not something we would be able to offer.SA国际影视传媒�

Grande helps organizations, families, and individuals to better plan for the future when someone has been diagnosed with dementia. She says they often have the quilts in the AlzheimerSA国际影视传媒檚 Society office so that patients can have SA国际影视传媒渇amiliar itemsSA国际影视传媒� to keep on their lap and fiddle with. 

SA国际影视传媒淚t's really important to remember that later on in the disease itSA国际影视传媒檚 more difficult for people to engage in the ways that they have always engaged,SA国际影视传媒� she says. SA国际影视传媒淭his is a way that they can be engaged in, be successful in, what they're doing.SA国际影视传媒�

Robertson says it takes her about six hours to crochet the blanket, and another two hours to add on the SA国际影视传媒渁ctivities.SA国际影视传媒�

Robertson is a massage therapist, but as sheSA国际影视传媒檚 had to put her practice in Fort Smith on hiatus in recent months, making blankets has been a way of keeping her own hands busy as well.  

Dolynny says the work that goes into them is not lost on him. 

SA国际影视传媒淲e take these things very seriously to heart,SA国际影视传媒� he says. SA国际影视传媒淭he fact that individuals are taking the time to consider our facility and consider the people in our care SA国际影视传媒� I think thatSA国际影视传媒檚 pretty warm and special.SA国际影视传媒� 

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 days like this when you look at yourself and go, itSA国际影视传媒檚 great to be a Northerner.SA国际影视传媒�