Mild, enveloping deep pressure

Protac Ball Blanket® Granulate combines soft polypropylene granulate with small 15 mm EVA balls to provide mild tactile and proprioceptive stimulation that closely surrounds the body.

Unlike Ball Blanket® models based on large movable balls, Granulate does not produce such pronounced changes in pressure. Its filling adapts closely to the contours of the body, providing a more uniform, enveloping and familiar sensory experience.

It is particularly suitable for people who benefit from deep pressure and proprioceptive input but prefer a gentler and less intrusive form of sensory stimulation.

80 compartments that adapt to the body

The granulate and small balls are distributed across 80 compartments throughout the blanket.

This construction keeps the filling evenly distributed while allowing it to settle around the contours of the body. The individual elements of the filling are barely noticeable to the touch compared with the large balls used in other Ball Blanket® models.

The person therefore experiences the weight and enveloping contact of the blanket without such an obvious sensation of separate objects moving inside the bedding.

Particularly interesting for older people with dementia

At HANDYCAT, Ball Blanket® Granulate is the model we particularly recommend when introducing a sensory blanket to older people with dementia.

The reason is not only its milder sensory stimulation. Its granulate and small balls are barely perceived as individual elements, allowing the blanket to retain a tactile sensation much closer to conventional bedding.

Our experience shows that some older people initially reject blankets containing large balls. One possible explanation is that the unfamiliar volumes and movements they perceive in the bed may be difficult for a person with cognitive impairment to recognise or interpret.

With Granulate this perceptual difference is much less pronounced: the person feels the weight and enveloping contact of the blanket, while the filling remains considerably more discreet to the touch.

This makes Granulate particularly interesting when seeking to:

• introduce deep pressure in a gentle and unobtrusive way;
• maintain a sensation of bedding that is as familiar as possible;
• reduce the possibility of initial rejection of an unfamiliar tactile sensation;
• provide mild, enveloping tactile and proprioceptive input;
• support calm and rest in people with dementia and restlessness.

Calm, body awareness and sleep

The enveloping pressure provides tactile and proprioceptive information about the position and boundaries of the body and can support:

• body awareness;
• sensory organisation and regulation;
• reduction of physical and mental restlessness;
• relaxation and a feeling of security;
• settling at bedtime;
• falling asleep and returning to sleep after waking;
• general wellbeing and rest.

Applications and documented experience

The manufacturer documents the use of Ball Blanket® Granulate in people with different sensory, neurological and cognitive needs.

Published applications and cases include people with:

• dementia;
• ADHD and OCD;
• fibromyalgia and chronic pain;
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome;
• Parkinson's disease;
• severe sensory disturbances;
• persistent sleep difficulties.

The appropriate Ball Blanket® model should be selected according to the person's individual sensory profile and the type and intensity of stimulation sought.

Divides into three sections

Two zippers allow the blanket to be divided into three separate sections.

This construction makes washing easier in a regular washing machine. One section can also be used separately as a lap blanket during daytime rest.

Characteristics

• Dimensions: 140 × 200 cm.
• Approximate weight: 5 kg.
• Filling: polypropylene granulate and 15 mm EVA balls.
• Filling distributed across 80 compartments.
• Cover: 100% OEKO-TEX®-certified cotton.
• Divisible into three sections by two zippers.
• One section can be used separately as a lap blanket.
• Washable at 60 °C.
• Class I medical device with CE marking in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/745.

Washing and maintenance

Before washing, divide the blanket into its three sections.

Each section can be washed separately at a maximum of 60 °C in a washing machine with a minimum capacity of 7 kg. Use the supplied laundry bag as indicated in the manufacturer's instructions and spin at low speed.

Do not use stain remover or detergent containing bleach or perfume.

Regular airing is recommended.