Evelyn’s Blessings: Young girl’s non-profit offers new companionship to patients in long-term care

Since live pets are not welcome in some nursing facilities, this 9-year-old girl came up with a new idea to provide long-term care patients daily companionship.
Published: May 28, 2025 at 3:29 PM EDT|Updated: Jun. 5, 2025 at 2:08 PM EDT
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(InvestigateTV) — A 2023 study of nearly 8,000 adults found that pet owners were more likely to experience slower rates of memory decline.

While live pets may not work in most nursing homes, a nine-year-old from Indiana is making sure patients in long-term care facilities do not feel alone.

“We would like for you to adopt an animal today,” 9-year-old Evelyn Hill says.

However, she is not talking about a real pet.

She is instead talking about realistic stuffed animals that can breathe, bark, meow, and even move.

“I have so much joy from this. I love it so much,” Evelyn says with a grin.

Reporter Marresa Burke introduces us to the young girl who created the non-profit Evelyn’s Blessings to bring comfort to the elderly.