The fifth comfort doll for a Mansion resident arrived today, I’ll bring it over to Helen this afternoon or tomorrow morning. I’ve embarked on a serious comfort doll project, this one is for Helen, an especially shy and quiet resident.

She said she would dearly love to have a baby, once she saw the one we got for Helen. Another comfort doll is one the way for Alice . This one coast $129 and came from the Ashton-Drake Galleries.

I am touched by the impact these dolls have on the Mansion residents, they are such an important tool for some of the female residents, especially those who are memory impaired.

They provide a desperately needed outlet for nurturing, and also help with focus, calming, and a sense of having something important to do. I think this is among some of the most important emotional support work we have yet done for the Mansion residents, and I am once again grateful to the Mansion aides for helping me match these dolls up with the residents who need them.

Comfort dolls are increasingly popular for residents with dementia, researchers say they improve a patients’ mood and give them a sense of true companionship.

Some psychologists caution that people who receive them can “become too attached to the doll and experience anxiety if the doll is lost or misplaced,” or become so involved in caring for their “baby” that the doll becomes stressful and confusing.

Other caregivers have expressed concern that the dolls are patronizing or infantisizing.  We have seen no such problems or symptoms at the Mansion, I see the joy and calming these dolls bring to the residents who have received them.

Everyone one of the Mansion residents with a doll seems happier, says they are happier, and are able to leave their dolls behind to eat or perform other activities. They especially appreciate sleeping with them in or near the bed.

To me, that’s the measure. Are they happier than they were before? The answer so far is yes. I can hardly imagine depriving the residents of this opportunity to nurture or connect.

The Mansion aides monitor the use of the dolls closely, and they are unanimous in their enthusiasm for them. Even some of the men has expressed interest in them, although none has yet requested one.