The “Fidget Chicks” are a group in Granbury, Texas who get together each week and share gadgets, place mats and ideas for Sensory Mats for Dementia Patients. Some make one mat a week, and some make 8 or 10. Each week they show off their Fidget Mats and marvel at the beauty of each one. There are things to pull on, things to zip and also items to squeeze. These wonderful Fidget Mats are then tested for quality control and packaged for delivery. We deliver packs of 10 Fidget Mats to many local Nursing Homes each month. The Fidget Chicks have donated over 3,000 Hand-Made Fidget Mats to Nursing Homes across North Texas. This week we took 2 packages of Fidget Mats to Colonial Gardens Memory Care in Ft. Worth. This is a beautiful Alzheimer’s Community with well trained and dedicated staff for the dementia care we all want for our loved ones.
I am the Founder of the Fidget Chicks. We started making Fidget Mats after my father’s passing from Alzheimer’s. He would sit in his wheelchair and play with the zipper on my mom’s purse. Knowing that he was fidgeting and not conscious of what he was doing, I observed his behavior.
We put a zipper on most every Fidget Mat. “The smiles, and the joy these mats bring to a patient make it all worth while”. We sew on items such as zippers, buttons, elastic, small dolls, and just about anything that can be attached to the mat. We put a cross on every mat to remind them of their faith. There are now Groups of Fidget Mat makers popping up all over the place. A woman from Oregon was visiting Texas when she saw my demonstration. She went home and started her own Fidget Group. There are now 3 groups I am aware of in the Ft Worth area. My mission is to have Fidget Chick groups all over the Nation serving the Nursing Homes in their local towns. We have a facebook page if you would like to follow us. Fidget Chicks – Granbury Texas.
NBC 5 Did a story about our Mission.
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