Weighted Blanket Funding Rationale

Helps people live their life or makes life better

The use of a weighted blanket improves the lives of people with (but not limited to) Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Sensory Processing Disorder, Restless Leg Syndrome and Insomnia. Using a weighted blanket:

• Enables the user to relax and settle into sleep better at bedtime
• Increases the quality and amount of sleep by helping the individual settle back into sleep upon waking at night. Increased quality of sleep increases the ability to concentrate and function effectively during waking hours
• Reduces the number of waking periods in the night, allowing for better sleep
• Weighted blankets help to calm in times of high stress, anxiety and where de-escalation of behaviour is required
• The residual calming effects after using a weighted blanket enables individuals carry out their daily activities, which leads to greater independence and confidence in the community
• Enables the user to self-soothe in times of anxiety or stress, increasing independence at home and in the community
• Enables users to feel more “grounded” or “present” or focused to carry out daily tasks at home and in the community
• The use of the weighted blanket is not imposed on the user, giving them greater control and independence around emotional and behavioural regulation

It is a Disability Support

• Weighted blankets are a useful device in behaviour management and behaviour de-escalation. They provide a calming preventative strategy, which is safer than resorting to physical restraint and isolation
• Specifically designed for people with high proprioceptive needs
• Unique dense weight profile provides greater proprioceptive pressure input to the body than other weighted blankets. Below indicates the amount of weight in the blankets (gsm indicates grams per square metre)  

5kg weighted blanket approx. 5,000 gsm

7.5kg weighted blanket approx. 5,350 gsm

10kg weighted blanket approx. 6, 670 gsm

12kg weighted blanket approx. 8,000 gsm

• Weight is evenly distributed across the blanket
• All cells are double stitched inside the blanket to prevent unevenness in weight distribution and possible leakage of weight materials. The outer layer is heavy duty stitched for longevity and safety  
• The inner fabric of the blanket is poly-cotton drill which is strong and durable 

Reasonable and Cost Effective

• Weighted blankets have benefits across the day and night. They are a safe device that can used as required by the individual
• Weighted blankets can be used across multiple settings to provide consistency and enable independence when travelling or on overnight stays in unfamiliar environments
• If individuals are able to use a weighted blanket independently, then its use (to reduce anxiety, stress and behaviour difficulties) is cost effective to develop or maintain independence than the provision of personal support and monitoring
• The costs associated with personal support reduce over time with greater independent use of a weighted blanket to regulate emotions and anxiety levels. Learning about one’s sensory preferences, triggers, and management strategies enables empowerment and control for an individual, making it a socially acceptable and socially sustainable way of enabling users.
• Manufactured in New Zealand
• Weighted blankets from Sensory Corner that are weighted with plastic use repurposed plastic pellets sourced in New Zealand