Dolls for Dementia: How a Simple Doll Can Bring Comfort, Purpose, and Peace to People Living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia
My grandmother, Alice Stewart, was the sweetest woman I’ve ever known. She was pulled from a different time—gentle, kind, endlessly patient. When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time with her. I looked up to her like she was a superhero. She made me feel safe in ways I didn’t even have words for back then.
As I got older, so did she. And around the time I became a teenager, we started to notice the early signs of dementia. At first, they were subtle—staring off into space, forgetting what day it was, losing track of conversations. But dementia is a horrifying illness. It doesn’t announce itself loudly. It creeps in quietly, and then one day, you realize it’s winning the battle.
There came a point when the only thing that could bring her back to us—even for a moment—was the comfort of her dolls. I remember walking up to her while she sat by the window for hours, clutching her baby doll in her arms. When someone placed it in her hands, her face would soften. She would smile. In her world, it was real. And for us, it was real too.
It was something we could give her. Something that made us feel like we were still doing something to fight what the disease was taking away.
This project, and this fundraiser, are dedicated to my grandmother—Alice Stewart.
Across the country, caregivers and families are discovering something powerful: realistic baby dolls are helping people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia feel calmer, more purposeful, and more emotionally grounded. What might look like a simple toy is actually becoming a therapeutic tool—one that reduces anxiety, restores a sense of identity, and offers comfort in moments of confusion.
We’re calling this initiative Dolls for Dementia—and now, we’re bringing it to the Treasure Valley.
Why Dementia Care Needs More Than Medicine
Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia don’t just affect memory. They change how a person experiences the world. Familiar faces can become unfamiliar. Time becomes disorienting. Fear, agitation, and loneliness often take over.
While medication can help with some symptoms, it can’t replace the human need for comfort, connection, and purpose.
Many patients retain what’s known as emotional memory. Even when names, places, and timelines fade, feelings remain. The feeling of being needed. The feeling of caring for someone. The feeling of safety.
That’s where Dolls for Dementia comes in.
How Realistic Baby Dolls Help
These are not typical toys. They are weighted, soft, lifelike dolls designed to feel like holding a real infant. For many dementia patients—especially those who were once parents or caregivers—holding one can unlock deep emotional responses.
Care facilities and therapists report that these dolls can:
Reduce agitation and anxiety
Lower incidents of wandering
Decrease aggressive behaviors
Encourage communication
Improve sleep
Provide a sense of responsibility and purpose
Reduce reliance on certain medications
Patients often begin talking to the doll, rocking it, humming, or smiling—sometimes for the first time in days or weeks. Some who are typically withdrawn become engaged. Others who are distressed begin to relax.
This isn’t about tricking anyone. It’s about meeting people where they are and honoring the emotional reality they’re living in.
Why This Matters So Much in Our Community
In the Treasure Valley, hundreds of families are navigating dementia care every day. Memory care units and assisted living facilities do their best with limited budgets, staffing, and resources. Many simply can’t afford specialty therapeutic tools like these dolls—even when they know they work.
That means patients miss out on something that could bring them comfort, dignity, and calm.
We believe that shouldn’t happen.
Introducing the Dolls for Dementia Fundraiser
The Good Network is launching a community-powered fundraiser with one clear goal:
To place at least one realistic therapy doll in every Treasure Valley facility that can benefit from one.
These dolls cost significantly more than standard toys because of their quality, weight, realism, and therapeutic design. But the return on that investment is measured in peace, emotional stability, and restored connection.
Your donation will help us:
Purchase high-quality, realistic therapy dolls
Distribute them directly to memory care units and assisted living facilities
Work with caregivers to ensure they are used appropriately
Expand the program as more facilities express need
Every dollar goes toward impact—not overhead.
Why This Is a Perfect Example of What We Do
At The Good Network, our mission is simple: to make it easier for people to show up for each other.
Dolls for Dementia reflects that mission perfectly.
It’s not flashy. It’s not viral. It’s deeply human.
It’s about improving quality of life for people who often feel forgotten.
How You Can Help
We are inviting the Treasure Valley to be part of Dolls for Dementia.
You can:
Donate to the fundraiser
Share this story
Nominate a facility that could benefit
Sponsor a doll in someone’s name
Together, we can create small moments of peace that ripple outward.
And sometimes, that’s everything.
Want to help us place a doll in a local facility?
If you know of a Treasure Valley memory care unit or assisted living facility that would benefit from this program, please fill out the form below.
Let’s do some good—together.
