MHA Ty Gwyn and MHA Morel Court care homes in Penarth have each been given five HUG dolls to support residents living with dementia.

The dolls help comfort residents and replicate the same feelings they would get from hugging a relative or loved one.

The product is designed to be cuddled and has a beating heart within its soft body. Dolls can also play music to suit the resident and intensify their comfort levels.

June Janes giving the doll a big cuddle. (Image credit: Methodist Homes - MHA)

Neil Chadwick, a community coordinator based at MHA Ty Gwyn, said: "The HUGs were designed by a team in Cardiff Metropolitan University back in 2019.

"It's nice that residents here at Ty Gwyn and in our sister homes MHA Morel Court in Penarth and MHA Coed Craig in Rhos-on-Sea are going to benefit from a locally designed resource.

"We have tried some of the dolls with residents and they do find them quite comforting and soothing. We are aiming to distribute the dolls across the home and will see where they get the most use.

"Even though they're aimed at those residents who are living with dementia we will not restrict usage just to them, they are available for any of the residents to use."

Click here for more information on HUG dolls.

This story was written by Neil Chadwick, a community coordinator based at MHA Ty Gwyn. You can also submit your own stories by clicking the black 'Nub It' button.