Life-like baby dolls are bringing some much-needed joy to the lives of residents living with dementia in Cambridge.
Every Thursday, St Kilda Care Home's activities coordinator RayRay Coleman brings in the newborns for residents to hold — and with it, some priceless memories of new parenthood.
"It is special. It's really emotional," she told Seven Sharp.
Coleman said she takes a breather before the babies are brought in "because you don't know what sort of emotional, joyous reaction you're going to get and that can bring on some strong emotions".
"The elderly, in particular, really resonate with young people, particularly newborns. They just kickstart the happy hormones, and that's what it's about for me — joy and being happy."
Currently, more than 70,000 New Zealanders live with dementia, which affects memory, thinking and the ability to perform daily tasks.
By 2050, with our aging population, we could see 170,000 Kiwis living with the disease.
Annalise Tait, who provides the dolls along with her sister Brittany, said she began collecting after seeing a video online of a reborn collector unboxing her new baby.
"For a couple of years, I would just watch their videos and always kind of dreamed of being able to afford or being able to get one of my own," she explained.
The sisters now share six reborn dolls between them, which cost between $600 to $1000 each.
"Some mums will take pictures with their kids with the babies and it's the cutest thing ever," Annalise added.
"People absolutely love them and we love people's reactions — it just brings you the most joy and the most happiness."
The pair hope to offer their dolls to other care home residents to relieve anxiety and help make connections.
"The joy that these babies bring — you can't measure it," Coleman said.
"When they come in, it's the same reaction — it's the same joyous reaction every single time.
"That joyous reaction doesn't ever dissipate — it either is the same or it gets even stronger."
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