Robotic cats, given by Rotary Club, bringing comfort to people with dementia in Rocky Hill

Marcia Piwarzyk was sitting in a common area and showing off her cat named Maggie.

Piwarzyk, a resident at the Atrium in Rocky Hill, said she’s had Maggie for a few years and that the feline loves to get outside and roam around.

I’m a cat person,” she said. “They’re friendlier. She loves to brush up against you and purr.”

In reality, Piwarzyk, who has been living at the assisted living facility that specializes in memory care, for about six months, has only had Maggie since last week and the cat is actually an electronic companion designed to help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia feel less isolated and lonely.

“She makes me happy,” Piwarzyk said.

Piwarzyk was one of 27 residents of the facility to receive a robotic cat as a result of a fundraising effort by the Wethersfield-Rocky Hill Rotary Club. The club also donated 27 fidget quilts and 27 weighted blankets to residents at the Atrium.

According to studies, the cats, which cost about $100 each, help people with dementia reduce anxiety and agitation, and improve mood and cognition. Studies also show that the animals reduce delirium in hospitalized patients, provide stimulation and positive experiences for those in assisted living facilities and reduce the burden of care on those taking care of elderly family members in the home.

At the Atrium, which has 60 residents, this is the second project with the Rotary Club. In 2019 the club provided lifelike dolls that were designed to represent 3-month-old infants and some stuffed dogs.

Kim Beale, president of a Rotary chapter that has about 15 active members, said that the residents expressed such joy at getting the dolls and dogs. The club members realized how much people in assisted living facilities were suffering during the pandemic, and began a new effort.

“We wanted to do something for them again,” said Beale, who added that the club raised about $4,000 for the current donation.

Allyson Sweeney, the Atrium’s executive director, said the club has brought happiness to many residents and that the staff appreciates it.

“What we’re always looking for is a way for [the residents] to do something they’ve always done whether it’s nurturing a baby or a pet,” Sweeney said.

Steven Goode can be reached at sgoode@courant.com.