Baby dolls as therapeutic tools for severe dementia patients

Doll therapy: A therapeutic means to meet past attachment needs and diminish behaviours of concern in a person living with dementia – a case study approach

“…Relatively new complementary therapies, such as 'doll therapy', may be potentially useful in reducing challenging and destructive behaviour and maintaining a fulfilling lifestyle for people with dementia. This reflects habitual activities in earlier life such as looking after family and children (Hudson, 2003;Tamura, Nakajima & Nambu, 2001).…”

“…Conversely, yearning for an identifiable time or worrying about past relationships can also produce unease and agitation (Mace & Rabins, 1999). Failure to acknowledge and/or resolve these relationships is often exhibited in behaviours of concern (Hudson 2003;Tamura, Nakajima & Nambu, 2001).…”

“…269-272). Tamura, Nakajima and Nambu (2001), in an ethnographic study within a RACF, provided dolls in an activity where they positively distracted people living with dementia when they exhibited anxiety and frustration. In particular, reduction in behaviours of concern was observed to be linked with this distraction.…”

Using dolls for therapeutic purposes: A study on nursing home residents with severe dementia

“…One such psychosocial intervention is doll therapy (DT), which is very popular in clinical practice. DT consists in giving people with dementia baby‐like dolls with particular anthropomorphic features—in terms of weight, size, and facial expressions—during therapeutic sessions . The rationale behind the DT has to do with attachment theory, which was originally applied to children, and subsequently adopted in individuals with dementia .…”

Investigation on People Living with Seal Robot at Home

“…Second, Paro might stimulate the owners' sense of motherhood in that they associate Paro with a baby. There is a type of therapy called "doll therapy," which applies the concept of "motherhood" [13]. In this form of therapy, a baby doll is given to clients in order to stimulate their sense of motherhood and create positive feelings when the client hugs the doll and associates it with a baby.…”