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.

This post touched my heart. What an awesome idea! I look back on my late wife's journey and she carried a picture taken at our church years earlier everywhere she went. She walked from morning to night.

I know it too brought her personal comfort. Although the picture got stained by tea and water under the glass it is still in my possession and I wouldn't trade it for a more perfect one.

Dean in Red Deer

PS: Granite, thank you for your contributions to this amazing site.