I called Morgan Jones, the Mansion director this morning, I told her the realistic doll I had found and purchased for Diane, a Mansion resident with memory issues who was struggling to find peace at times in the Mansion had arrived. The doll, which was fashioned out of very lifelike vinyl, was an anatomically correct female. She came with a box of diapers, a teddy bear, a blanket and some toys.

The realistic dolls, used for some years now for Alzheimer and Dementia patients, has been hailed by social workers as a powerful tool to give memory patients a sense of responsibility, a task to perform, and an outlet for love and nurturing. They are said to be important calming and focusing tools.

There is a fair amount of protocol in the presentation of these dolls to patients, and I have been studying these protocols on line this weekend. The dolls must not be called dolls but “babies,” everyone on the staff needs to be  briefed as to their purpose. The patient or resident is not pressured in any way to accept the doll, it is simple brought into her presence and she is either drawn to it, or not.

The patients are encouraged to take responsibility for the doll, it is an important task. I asked for someone on the staff to work with in presenting the doll to Diane. She suggested Hollyanne, an aide I know and respect. She is a remarkable young women, calm, professional and absolutely dedicated to the residents. She knows them all, their needs and moods and has a loving and calm way about her. She even knows the shoe sizes of each resident.

I brought the doll and her toys and bear and diapers into the office and Hollyanne and I went over the protocols. After five or ten minutes, we went to Diane’s room. Bonnie and Brittany, two other staffers,  came along, we made a curious process down the hallway.

The plan was for Hollyanne to carry the doll, and let Diane, who was taking a nap, wake up and see her, and ask about her. It would soon be clear  if this would work or not.

Several of the residents asked if I had a present for them,  I said no, this one is for Diane.

I was focused, a bit anxious about this doll, this was a serious step, and I didn’t want to blow it.

Diane, like many memory patients, sometimes gets frustrated and confused. If she embraced the idea of the doll, it could make a significant difference to her mood and her life, as dolls have done for so many memory patients. It could also open the door to a number of new tools that might benefit the residents (like the activity apron I got for Joan today, see below). Her family is supportive of these tools and devices. They want her to have every possible way of feeling grounded and meaningful.

I see how the residents loved their stuffed animals. I was curious to see how Diane would react to a baby.

I’m telling this story in three parts, because I wanted to tell it thoroughly. I also wanted to give due credit to Hollyanne, who handled this perfectly, lovingly, and with great poise, as you will see in the video I took. The video is step two. Then step three. I’ll put up a photo album on Facebook.