Unique “Baby Shower” brings love to CNY dementia patients
A “baby shower” was held yesterday for the delivery of more than 20 baby dolls as well as several puppies for the dementia residents at The Commons on St. Anthony to care for.
The Commons was nominated by employees and family members of the facility’s residents, and selected as one of only 3 winners nationwide in a contest from Pearl's Memory Babies. The Commons in Auburn is the first facility in NYS to be selected, and EVERY memory care resident at The Commons received either a baby doll or a puppy dog!
- Pearl’s Memory Babies was featured by PEOPLE Magazine in 2019
- Dolls and pets have had a statistically significant impact on dementia patients’ quality of life, specifically their increased frequency of smiling and decrease in irritable or aggressive behavior.
- Loretto’s PACE CNY program has successfully used animatronic dolls and pets with dementia patients in the past.
“Humans are instinctually hardwired to nurture,” said Amy Feeney, Director of Therapeutic Recreation and Volunteers at The Commons on St. Anthony. “What becomes difficult as people age is how they can receive the same benefits from having someone – or something – to care for, without having to manage the care. These babies and pets provide all the benefits without the cost or physical difficulties of caring for a child or pet.”
