Elder-caregivers
In reply to the discussion: My mother has Alzheimer's and I just got her one of those robotic cats. [View all]lettucebe
(2,339 posts)I purchased one for her about three years ago and she fell in love immediately. Pets it and talks to it all day long. You can turn off the mewing (it does get annoying) but the cat still purrs -- and strangely rolls back which caused issues at first because it would get stuck like that. It can also be turned off, but I like the purring and the slight movements.
Mom no longer lives with me, so recently I thought her cat was looking a little "ratty" so I bought her a new one. When I brought it, the older cat looked like new (so must have had a bath), so now she has her kitty and her roommate (another lovely lady) also has one. They all love the cats.
Originally I bought her a realistic baby doll that moved and made noises. At the time (3-yrs ago) she was mildly anxious because she thought it needed feeding, or worried about it, so I decided that wasn't a great fit. Just depends on the person, so give it a try. So worth it to bring her some happiness and unconditional love