Dolls • Dolls • Dolls • Dolls Helen's Baby Helen’s best friend and companion is Baby, a 14” cloth body baby doll from Berenguer Dolls. Helen lives in a care facility. She is in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Her speech is down to monosyllables and her comprehension is questionable. Helen spends most of her time in her own private world, walking up and down the hallways for hours. She had a hard time sitting still long enough to eat a decent meal. Consequently she had been losing a lot of weight. We’d been taking turns being with Helen at meal times to make sure that she was eating. We’d prepare her food to make it more manageable for her, cutting up sandwiches into bite-sized pieces and serving the different offerings one at a time on a small plate, because she was easily overwhelmed by too much food and too many choices. Lately it had been really hard to get her to eat anything at all. It turned out that she had an infection and subsequently was given antibiotics. While we were waiting the week or ten days for the medication to take effect, it was a struggle to get her to consume even a few bites. At this point, I was willing to try anything to encourage her. After everything else had failed I brought a baby doll and set it on the table in front of Helen’s lunch plate. It was as if she woke up. She was immediately enthralled, became animated and chatted nonstop to the baby, all the while shoveling down all of her lunch. After she had cleaned her plate, she reached over and proceeded to clean mine as well. Helen’s chatter was incomprehensible to most of those around her, so rarely did anyone engage her in a conversation, but this doll gave her undivided “attention”- with a smile. At one point Helen turned to me and said “She so quiet?” Baby has been with her ever since, usually in her arms. Baby now routinely keeps Helen company at lunchtime. With Baby’s undivided attention, Helen has been eating so much better; and is less prone to wander off before she’s eaten her fill. Helen seems to have found a purpose in her life, caring for this little one. At times she puts her down for a nap, carefully pulling the blanket up under her chin. Baby often “watches” as Helen is given her shower. On car drives, she would at times place baby on her lap facing toward the front, so she could “look out the window,” and shield her eyes against the sun. The evening team tells us that Helen gets into bed at night without any trouble, as long as Baby rests on the pillow next to her. One day Helen was slumped in a chair looking very distressed. When asked what was wrong, she mumbled, “Sad, so sad.” Her arms were empty. No sign of Baby.  - After a search, Baby was found resting in the lap of another resident. We scurried to find a replacement in the form of a teddy bear. Baby returned to Helen, who took her in her arms with the greatest tenderness. Shortly after this we were lucky enough to find another identical doll. This backup Baby has been a lifesaver at times, when the original has been lost for several days. Update: Since this report was first written well over a year ago, we have added another backup Baby. On the few occasions when we haven't yet located one of the three, Helen will clutch an blanket, towel or bunched-up sweater instead. "Baby" is still a constant companion at mealtimes and Helen still engages her in long and animated "conversations." ***** A UK Study on Dolls A report by BBC News confirms the benefits of using dolls and stuffed animals with Alzheimer’s people. From BBC News: A nursing home in Newcastle, UK, conducted a small-scale study, in which 14 residents were given a doll or a teddy bear. After only 12 weeks, it was obvious that residents were interacting better with staff and other residents. The director of the study stated: "Clearly, using a doll doesn't reverse dementia, but it does seem to improve quality of life." Around 50 dementia residents of the home now have dolls or teddies as part of the group's research. ***** Bill A facility here in Santa Fe purchased 10 baby dolls for use in their Alzheimer’s unit. At the time, one of the male residents had been spending his days completely withdrawn, nonresponsive, and weeping. He was handed one of the dolls, a girl baby. It was love at first site. That baby doll filled the last month of his life with pure love. He would hold her ever so gently, kiss her forehead, stroke her cheek and tell her over and over again how much he loved her. (He never talked to anyone else.) ***** Choosing and Introducing a Doll If you’re not sure how your loved one or care receiver will react to the doll, hand her the doll and casually ask, “Will you hold her for me, please?” Since you’re not identifying it as a doll or a “baby”, you’re letting her decide for herself. If she recognizes it as a doll, you can admire the lifelike design together. On the other hand you’ve left the door open for her to adopt it as a "baby." What to look for in a doll. Important features to look for: cloth body, which feels real when cuddled, and the look of a happy baby with an expression that's responsive: eyes open and alert, a mouth that hints at a smile at least. Preferably fixed eyes - I have found that models with tipping eyes are recognized be many as "dolls."   Option #1 is a baby doll (20" – 22") that's so lifelike that it’s about the same size, weight, and feel of a real infant. This is a good choice for a person who’s stationary. Option #2 is a smaller (14” – 16”)* and much lighter doll, which works best with a person who paces or otherwise moves around a lot. Helen’s Baby weighs exactly one pound. She can pace all day with Baby in her arms without getting exhausted or getting cramps in her arm. Option #3 is a teddy bear or another stuffed animal. Sources: The dolls shown here are 14-16" (Retail price range: $15-20) Berenguer Dolls The 20" dolls are available at The Alzheimer's Store (Retail: $49.95)