Bringing Comfort Through Community: LMJ’s Lost Souls Community Campaigns
Justine Bekin, a resident of The Indigo at Elmhurst, benefits from caring for a baby doll. “It calmed her down. It took her anxiety away,” her daughter, Gail Bekin, said. Courtesy of The Indigo at Elmhurst and the Daily Herald.
At LMJ’s Lost Souls- Alzheimer’s Fund, our mission extends beyond raising awareness and funds for research. We are deeply committed to supporting the day-to-day lives of those living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in our community, as well as the caregivers and care facilities who walk this journey alongside them. That commitment takes shape through our Community Campaign Program, where we partner with local memory care facilities to provide comfort items, resources, and moments of joy to residents and staff.
Recently, this work was spotlighted in a Daily Herald feature about how suburban care facilities are using doll therapy to bring peace and comfort to residents with dementia. The article highlights The Indigo of Elmhurst, one of the many communities we’ve been privileged to serve. LMJ’s Lost Souls provided baby dolls and many other comfort items to The Indigo as part of our Community Campaign, helping support their efforts to create meaningful experiences for residents.
Doll therapy, as the article explains, offers more than just a toy, it provides a sense of purpose, comfort, and connection for individuals living with dementia. To see the dolls we donated being put to such impactful use reinforces exactly why our Community Campaign is so important: small gestures can bring immeasurable comfort.
What the Community Campaign Does
Through the Community Campaign, we identify care communities that could benefit from added resources and deliver items that bring calm, joy, and connection. The communities are predominantly brought to our attention through our volunteers, supporters, partners, and constituents. The items provided can include:
Comfort dolls and stuffed animals
Sensory items for soothing engagement
Seasonal gifts to brighten residents’ days
Resources and support tools for staff and families
Each donation is a reminder to residents that they are not forgotten and a reminder to caregivers that their work is valued and supported by the community around them.
Facilities We’ve Partnered With
To date, our Community Campaign has supported residents and staff in memory care facilities across Chicagoland, including:
Arden Courts – Elk Grove Village
New Perspective – Long Grove
The Garlands – Barrington
The Moorings – Arlington Heights
Lombard Place – Lombard
Villa at Windsor Park – Chicago
Encore Village – Schaumburg
The Grove – Elmhurst
Forest View – Itasca
Lutheran Home – Arlington Heights
The Radcliffe
Churchill Place Memory Care – Glen Ellyn
The Indigo of Elmhurst – Elmhurst
Encore of South Barrington – South Barrington
Abbington in Roselle – Roselle
The Indigo of Bartlett – Bartlett
The Pearl of Evanston – Evanston
Each facility has its own unique needs and they curate their own wishlist, but the goal is always the same: to provide comfort, dignity, and joy to residents living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
How You Can Get Involved
Our Community Campaign is powered by generosity. Whether through donations, sponsorships, or volunteering, your support helps us expand the reach of this program to more communities in need. Together, we can ensure that residents across Chicagoland feel the love, comfort, and dignity they deserve.
Learn more about how you can join our Community Campaign at:
Our Get Involved Page or Donate directly to the current camapaign here
See the Daily Herald article HERE