Are there crocheting tools for the elderly or diabled?

Question

My elderly grandmother had a stroke awhile back and is slowly getting her strength back. But she still does not and may not regain the overall ability to crochet. She is very depressed about this situation. So, I am searching the internet to see if there are ways that the elderly or disabled can still enjoy this great hobbie.

Answer 1

I'm sorry your grandmother is depressed and know I would be too if I were unable to crochet. On the bright side, new tools can make a big difference and she may do a lot better with some of the newer hooks out there.

http://www.karpstyles.ca/
http://www.karpstyles.ca/catalog.html?maincat=Crochet%20Hooks

Karp Styles sells these 3 styles of hooks, and other crocheters on my yahoo groups for crochet who are stroke survivors have recommended them. I love the cushioned Clover hooks and the Addi's a very nice too. They are super shiny and 'glide' thru the yarn.

Addi Turbo-
Skacel Addi Crochet hooks are great for those who have arthritic hands or even if you are just taking care of your wrists to avoid carpel tunnel. The handle is slighly flexible and makes crocheting more comforable. The hooks are very smooth and glide through the work.

Bamboo-
Susan Bates bamboo crochet hooks are lightweight and lovely to use. Great for crocheting with slippery yarns.

Clover Soft Touch-
Soft Touch crochet hooks have a cushioned rest area for comfortable crocheting. Made in Japan.

I have all these hooks myself and bought them from Jackie Karp, who is trustworthy and just a wonderful person. You can email her thru her site and ask her for her recommendations as well.

Answer 2

Crocheting Tools

Answer 3

Green people and purple people should be treated equally by the government. End of story. To only allow housing for green people is wrong. And, yes, it is racist. I would call a country that does this racist and unjust. I certainly wouldn't want to live in a country like that! In the country I live in, if the government discriminated against purple people just because there were more green people that needed assistance, there would be a class action lawsuit and pretty soon, none of the purple people would be homeless because they'd all be millionaires. And the officials that made this decision would end up flipping burgers at the nearest fast food place. Housing should be provided on a need-by-need basis, and, if there's too many people and not enough housing, it should be first come, first served. But never based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, political opinion, etc. Edit: Incidentally, I like how you avoided a larger racial issue by giving the people in question other colors. You prevented a lot of biased mudslinging there. Good for you! :)

Answer 4

Try searching the internet for "Trigger grip" or "soft touch" crochet hooks. These are both good for those with hand problems.

Or you could get her a "knitting machine," the kind where you turn the crank and out comes a tube of knitted fabric. You can turn these into scarves and all kinds of things. I would recommend looking for craft items for kids because they tend to be easier and require less manual dexterity.

Good luck, and give her a hug for me!

Answer 5

Your grandmother might find it easier to work with larger hooks and bulkier yarn at first. I'd start with quick and easy patterns so she can hopefully finish them and gain a sense of accomplishment. I don't crochet, but I do knit and I know they have HUGE knitting needles called "speed sticks" which are meant to be used with bulky yarns so that projects can be done faster than with normal materials.

My mother-in-law suffered a stroke several years back and I know how fristrating it is for the victims to not be able to do those activities they loved anymore. It's taken a while, but my mother-in-law's speech and motor skills have improved over time. The doctors said that doing certain activities like playing video games could help her regain some of her hand-eye coordination so I wish you and your grandmother the best of luck with her recovery - working on her crocheting might be just the trick to help her along.

And what a considerate grandaughter you are to think about her and making her life more enjoyable!

Answer 6

Crochet or knitting are much easier for elderly or stroke victims to navigate than, say, machine sewing or fine embroidery. The tools are larger, not dangerous, and the materials aren't as tiny. However, many challenges can get in the way of being able to crochet or knit. A stroke can cause confusion, difficulty in nerve communication between the brain and hand, and other problems not as obvious as the muscle weakness and control issues. There are several ways to help your grandmother, though, and it is worth the effort as the struggle to remaster stitching skills will aid in her recovery.

First, get her a few knitting or crochet videos so that she can watch the process. This will trigger her memory and even stimulate her hands to 'remember' how to stitch. Also go to Craig's List or other resources to find her a knitting or crochet group to join, where she can simply sit, hold her project and watch the others assume the position and make the familiar moves with their hands.

Second, try those triangular or square rubbery covers for pencils. Fit them over her crochet hooks so that she can get a grasp on a large, flat surface with her fingers instead of trying to manage a round tool. These can be slipped over crochet hooks that do not have a flat center. Slightly larger hooks than she's used to, and larger yarn or thread, may also help. For example, if she's always worked with size 30 crochet thread and 00/01 hooks, maybe this is the time to use size 20, 10, or even as large as 5 crochet thread and size 5 or even as large as D hooks. Worsted weight or bulky yarn and hook sizes J and above make sense for yarn crocheters.

Don't worry about patterns at first. Making a lap blanket, scarf, or pair of simple slippers can be entertaining and fun. Spend a LOT of time picking out a soft, pretty thread or yarn.