I bought this doll for my Mom's 86th birthday. Mom has Alzheimer's, and we have had trouble finding things that she likes to do or have. I had seen Adora dolls on the Alzheimer's Store web site, and they had a video on the Someone to Love doll's page that showed a woman with Alzheimer's talking to and singing to one of the dolls, obviously delighted with it. I had not planned on spending this much on her gift during a "tight money" month, but after seeing the video, I decided to get an Adora doll for Mom. I bought it from Amazon instead of from the Alzheimer's Store, because the price was significantly lower on Amazon. To make sure I chose the right Adora doll for Mom, I selected several that I thought she might like and showed her the photos of them. Although she changed her selection several times, this was the only doll she chose twice in a row, and when I asked her again later in the day, she still wanted this one. I knew she would not remember it later from seeing the pictures and the doll would still be a surprise on the big day. Today was her birthday, and I gave her the doll. She loved it! She mentioned over and over how pretty it was, and she held it tenderly and gazed at it, smiling. She touched its hair, its feet, and fingered the dress while looking at it. Then she used an expression we've never heard her use before--"It sends me." She was so absorbed with the doll that it was really touching, and she talked about each part of it. She loved the eyes, the lips, the hair, and even the bow in the doll's hair. I'm looking forward to seeing her enjoy it every day, and I'm so glad I overcame my hesitation and bought it. I wasn't sure if she would engage with it or not, but she totally did. Now I have that wonderful feeling of satisfaction, knowing that I got her the perfect gift. I was very impressed with the doll's realistic-looking features. The little fingers and toes are so lifelike, and the face is adorable. Everything about the doll is excellent. When I asked Mom what she liked about the doll, she said, "Everything." I also must mention that this doll came beautifully packaged. It is shipped in its own box, which is placed inside a larger box and padded with paper. When you open the doll's box, she is covered with a wraparound paper and has a hairnet on to keep her hair in place during shipping. She is tied to a backboard with white ribbons so that she does not move within the box. This is all designed to ensure that the doll arrives in pristine condition, not messed up and not damaged. It was exquisitely packaged, and I regard this as a mark of professionalism and attention to detail on the part of the company. This doll exceeded my expectations. Nothing could take the place of the moments spent watching Mom with her doll. I recommend that if you get this as a gift that you have your video camera ready for a priceless video. If your recipient responds to the doll the way my mom did, you'll want to keep that moment forever.
