BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (WTVF) — So many of us know how hard it is to watch a loved one live with memory loss.
That's why an assisted living community here in Middle Tennessee is truly finding ways to bring smiles however they can.
Harmony at Brentwood recently was able to team up and provide realistic baby dolls or animals to those living in their memory care unit. As this initiative grew, so did the number of dolls they were able to give out.
When you're a parent, of course you never lose that parental instinct. As you get older, you want to continue feeling like you have a purpose and you're able to care for something -- like a child.
The folks at Harmony at Brentwood say that's what these dolls do -- they truly bring so much joy, and you're able to see that joy in the player above.
In fact, there have been studies, even from the Cleveland Clinic, finding baby doll therapy can help reduce agitation among people living with memory loss.
"My thing in showing this today is just an awareness and the reactions were great," said Jennifer Hernandez, the activities director at Harmony at Brentwood. "The residents here deserve that love."
They were able to provide more than 50 of these dolls at a baby shower event they had.
Do you have a story you'd like to see on Take Time to Smile? You can email me at Austin.Pollack@newschannel5.com.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
