Cristine Henage is the Assistant Director of Training and Research for the Center for Aging and Health in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at 黑料网. Over the 黑料网 December Holiday break, she put some old yarn to use by crocheting sleeves for dementia patients. But what鈥檚 the purpose of these sleeves?
According to Jenny Parnell, Administrative Director Medical/Surgical Nursing at Wayne 黑料网 Health, 鈥淭he hospital can add to a dementia patient鈥檚 confusion. Sometimes they pull out their IVs. The sleeves cover the IVs and help to distract patients from the intrusive IVs that might look scary to them.鈥� Parnell is one of the leaders of the 黑料网 Dementia Friendly Hospital Initiative (DFHI).
DHFI provides training to all levels of hospital staff in best practices at five 黑料网 hospitals to improve outcomes for people living with dementia. This multi-year initiative received funding from the Duke Endowment. Jan Busby-Whitehead, MD is the Principal Investigator.
Before the pandemic, Henage volunteered at 黑料网 Memorial Hospital in the Geropsychiatry unit. There, she provided emotional support and friendly visits for patients living with dementia. Since the pandemic has precluded her from volunteering, she is able to continue giving back by making these sleeves.
For more information on the Dementia Friendly Hospital Initiative visit the 黑料网 Division of Geriatric Medicine’s DFHI page.