September 20, 2017 (Mt. Airy, NC) ─ Comfort comes in many shapes and sizes. In the case of Twelve Oaks, a DePaul Senior Living Community in Mt. Airy, it came recently in the form of stuffed dogs, cats and teddy bears donated by the Surry County Department of Social Services Adult Collaborative.

Leigh Ann Jackson, a social worker with Surry County DSS, received a grant to donate Comfort Companions to three memory care units within Surry County. She is pictured above with Twelve Oaks resident Edith McGee. Also pictured is resident Frieda Chauncey.

Designed keeping in mind symptoms and challenges of communication, loneliness, and memory loss that people with dementia may be facing, Comfort Companion dolls and beagles come in a myriad of bright colors and textures, include a pocket and name tag label, and are infused with the scent of lavender or vanilla to calm and soothe.

Pictured on left is Twelve Oaks resident Bessie Noonkester and pictured right is resident Helen Watson with the Comfort Companions donated by Surry County DSS Adult Collaborative.

“We share a partnership with Surry County DSS and they are so wonderful to work with,” said Twelve Oaks Administrator Penny Haynes. “I am so thankful they thought of our residents. It is amazing to see a resident’s face light up when you give them a dog, doll or teddy bear.”

Jackson is pictured here along with Surry County DSS Social Work Supervisor Susie Branch with the Comfort Companions which were donated to residents at Twelve Oaks and several other adult care communities in the county.

“It was a fun day for us,” said Jackson. “It was a rewarding experience to see the Comfort Companions so well received. The residents were so happy to get them and the staff were very excited.”

For more information about Twelve Oaks, please contact Administrator Penny Haynes at (336) 786-1130, at phaynes@depaul.org or visit us on Facebook.