December 5th, 2014 8:53 PM
Momentous moments are rare. However, not impossible to create. Mine, came the day I gave a cuddly doll wrapped in a receiving blanket to a friend living in a nursing home. My friend whispered and hummed to her new friend "Anna." Anna went everywhere with her. Anna gave her a purpose and staff felt my friends behaviour improved.
Ralph, across the hall was confined to a wheelchair and he'd watch my friend with her doll so I offered him a soft snuggly dog about 18" tall. Ralph's words were garbled so I didn't know if he wanted it. It wasn't long before he reached for the dog confirming his feelings. A week later, the dog shared Ralph's wheelchair. Someone made the dog a safety belt with ribbon. I'm sure Ralph liked sharing his wheelchair and a big piece of his loneliness slipped away.
The same week during a chapel service, I noticed a lady, very unsettled. Because the family seldom came to visit her, I asked a nurse if I could give her a fidget quilt and she said yes and should the family question the quilt the nurse would speak to them about it. Days later I gave the lady a quilt and tied it to her chair. She didn't appear to be disturbed with it so we left it. Not long after she started moving her hands over the quilt. I purposely sewed on two tiny bells only she could hear. The tinkling broke the silence.
I was glad I'd had time to do a little reseach learning plaids and prints are very confusing for anyone with alzheimer's, bright solid colors are the best so that's what I used.
Give a gift with a purpose, if it is helpful, everyone wins.