Alzheimer’sNotes.com
When I saw these dolls, they reminded me of a family and stories you could relate with Alzheimer’s patients.  Perhaps the stories would be of their memories and family members.  Possibly they would be fantasy. 
These, or similar dolls, could be a springboard for communication.  At least if the patients are communicating, whether in the present, fantasy or yesterday’s world, they retain something of themselves.  A bit of their personality comes through, perhaps a glimpse of the former man or woman.
“Look at her.  She’s playing with dolls.  How silly,” Mother remarked, in the earlier days when she stayed at a nusing home during the day …read more

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set up a web site with resources for information about Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss, and mild cognitive impairment.
Some topics considered are:
*What causes memory loss?
*Resources for coping
*Alzheimer’s disease
*Mild cognitive impairment
*Other diseases that cause memory loss
*Can memory loss be prevented

“Look at that old lady with the doll,” Mother remarked.  “How silly.”
This occurred when I took Mother to visit the nursing home I would be using for day care for her.  She wasn’t so advanced in her Alzheimer’s journey that she didn’t know where she was, even though I’d said I was taking her to meet some friends.
However, in Mother’s later Alzheimer’s years, she did find comfort in holding a stuffed toy.  She never talked to it and played with dolls and toys as some Alzheimer’s patients do.  I recall her saying, that in childhood, her sister played with dolls …read more

Mark and Ellen Warner, of the Alzheimer’s Store (www.alzstore.com )are seeking input on what makes the perfect baby doll for Alzheimer’s patients.  Over the years, as they mention in their newsletter, Alzheimer’s Daily News (http://alznews.org  ) they’ve heard from families of Alzheimer’s patients about the “miracles” a doll can perform.
For several years, they’ve offered “The Someone to Care For Doll” at the Alzheimer’s Store.  It’s being discontinued because it’s considered a “collectible” doll.  So now the Warners are seeking input from caregivers so they and the company they’re working with can create the perfect doll for those afflicted with Alzheimer’s. 

Cathy, from Cathy’s Rants and Ramblin’s (http://arthritisrants.blogspot.com) shared with me in the “comments” section of my previous post about dolls and teddy bears.  She mentioned her mom’s enjoyment of her doll during the middle stages of Alzheimer’s and indicated that caring for dolls made her mom feel useful.
This was an aspect of dolls and Alzheimer’s I hadn’t considered.  Yes, it would seem logical that caring for a doll (probably a baby in her mind) by dressing and undressing, feeding, rocking, singing to it made her seem she was doing useful and necessary tasks. 
If you say you’d never want to see your family member …read more

“Look at that old woman with the doll,” my mother remarked.  “How silly.  She’s too old for dolls.”
I’d taken Mother to visit the nursing home I was going to use for day care when I had to go to work.  She no longer could be left alone.  Fortunately this small nursing home took Alzheimer’s patients and also provided day care.
At this stage in her Alzheimer’s journey, Mother could reason at times and realized that most older women didn’t cuddle nor play with dolls and stuffed toys. However, when Mother reached the latter stages of Alzheimer’s and was in a nursing …read more