Indiana 9-year-old gives the gift of companionship to adults with dementia

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A nine-year-old from Indiana is making sure patients in long-term care facilities do not feel alone.

An elderly woman is wheeled into a room and greeted by two smiling faces asking a simple question: “We would like for you to adopt an animal today. What are you thinking?”

But they are not talking about a real pet. They are talking about realistic stuffed animals that can breathe, bark, meow, and even move.

“I have so much joy from this. I love it so much,” Evelyn Hill, a nine-year-old girl, says with a grin. She created the non-profit Evelyn’s Blessings to bring comfort to the elderly.

The idea came after multiple trips to Evelyn’s “poppy” at a long-term care facility that takes care of dementia patients. Evelyn and her mom Jennifer noticed many residents didn’t get any visitors, so they found a way to bring companionship to them. 

“He is still I don’t have to chase him, clean up after him, or feed him, so what better could you have?” Resident JoAnne explained as she petted her stuffed dog. 

Evelyn believes each pet removes the loneliness residents may be experiencing and replaces it with joy. Her favorite part is their surprise.

”It’s nice when I see them come into the room and they don’t know what’s going on and then I show them why they are here. After, they are so happy,” Evelyn said. 

This nine-year-old’s generosity is also helping her reach milestones. Her mom says she’s the youngest non-profit holder in the state of Indiana.

”I tell her all the time that she’s the little girl I wished I could’ve been when I was younger,” Jennifer Hill, Evelyn’s Mom, said. “Just seeing the drive and compassion she has for the elderly is just unmatched.”

The goal is to visit as many long-term care facilities as possible, so can even more residents feel Evelyn’s heart through Evelyn’s blessing.

To learn how you can support the non-profit, visit their website.

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