Plush Companions Program

 If you ever watched someone you love slowly slip away into memory loss—forgetting names, faces, even their own child—you know the quiet heartbreak of dementia. 

My great-grandmother has been in a nursing home for nearly five years. She’s now 100 years old. She no longer recognizes her son—my grandfather. Sometimes after his visits she tells people “a nice young man” came to visit, or that “her grandpa” dropped by.

But one day, something remarkable happened.

She was given a plush cat—a birthday gift from my mom.
Soft. Warm. Familiar, somehow.
And suddenly, the light returned. She smiled, pointed at its eyes, giggled, cooed, and called it “cute.”

For a moment, she was Alice again. Present. Joyful.

That moment passed, as they always do.
But it reminded me:

         It’s not about helping someone remember who you are.
        It’s about creating moments worth remembering.

That’s the heart behind Plush Companions—a simple gesture of care.
We donate brand-new, thoughtfully chosen plush animals to nursing homes and dementia care settings. While we do support healthcare and research through other initiatives—including monetary donations—this project is about something else: a direct, joyful gift.
Something soft to hold. Something to bring a smile. 

This initiative comes not only from love for my family, but from  a deep passion for supporting the dignity, comfort, and emotional well-being of people living with memory loss and cognitive disabilities, including dementia and Alzheimer’s. . 

Not just a toy—sometimes, a spark.
A small bridge back to the moment.

• Donate a new, clean plush animal (think soft cats, dogs, or other comforting friends)
• Or contribute funds so we can purchase thoughtfully selected plush companions

Want to learn more or find out when and where our next Meet & Collect drop-off will be? Reach out anytime at companionsplush@gmail.com – I’d love to hear from you! 

Research shows that plush animals can support emotional wellbeing in dementia care:

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4248608/
• https://www.dementia.com.au/resource-hub/the-use-of-simulated-pets-in-dementia-care
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8082946/
   

Let’s make joy a part of care.