Knitters for Winter Warmer Campaign 2020
Winter health and Wellbeing for isolated older residents.Benefit of knitting
Craft activities are particularly beneficial to older people and are recommended by NICE to promote independence and wellbeing in older people. Older adults who attend craft groups are less likely to have doctor-related visits and require less medication, resulting in cost-savings and reduced demand on health services. Craft groups help individuals build strong friendships, reducing social isolation and loneliness. Knitting has been shown to have benefits on multiple aspects of health including reducing depression and anxiety, slowing the onset of dementia, lowering blood pressure, reducing isolation and loneliness and increasing sense of inclusion in society.
Location
Wythenshawe (Northenden, Brooklands, Baguley, Sharston and Woodhouse Park)
Project team
The Forum Trust
buzz Health and Wellbeing Service
Health Development Coordinators (MLCO)
Wythenshawe Community Housing Group
Wythenshawe Good Neighbours
Wythenshawe District Nurses (MFT)
Local residents x 3
The Tree of Life Centre
Aim
This project was part of the Winter Warmer Campaign. The hats that were knitted by local residents were part of the Winter resilience pack that was put together by the Age Friendly Network.
We have advertised this knitting campaign since 2017. This year (2020) we had a great response from a wide variety of individuals who wanted to contribute their time and donate the hats made with wool their own wool.
We now have a list of people who are very keen knitters. Some have even expressed an interest in doing more for other campaigns and local support soon after they had finished knitting for the Winter Warmer.
When lockdown restrictions come to an end I will support some of these knitters to come together after some of them have expressed how isolating it has been during the pandemic.
Evaluation
Encouraging local people to knit hats for elderly neighbours in Wythenshawe was part of the Age Friendly Wythenshawe Winter Warmer Campaign. The response to the knitting was very positive this year and as a result we now have a list of knitters who we will contact again to find out what else they would like to do and support them in the process.
This work was asset based and I will be using some appreciative enquiry techniques to develop something in the community once restrictions have been eased.
Strategic links to local/national policies
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Benefit |
Policy |
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Increased mental wellbeing |
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Reduce social isolation |
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Reducing demand on services |
Taking Charge of our Health and Social Care in Greater Manchester (GMCA, 2015) |
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Helping people age well |
Taking Charge of our Health and Social Care in Greater Manchester (GMCA, 2015) |
Research/evidence base
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing Inquiry Report (2017) - Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing
Burt, E. L. and Atkinson, J. (2012) The relationship between quilting and wellbeing, Journal of Public Health, Volume 34, Issue 1, Pages 54–59.
Cohen, G. (2009) New theories and research findings on the positive influence of music and art on health with ageing. Arts & Health, 1:1, 48-62.
Knit For Peace – The Health Benefits of Knitting
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). (2015). Older People: Independence and Mental Wellbeing. London: NICE.
Contact
Emma Farrell - Neighbourhood Health Worker
T. 0161 271 0582
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