Comfort in Connection: The Power of Doll Therapy

Seeing older adults with baby dolls can often make people feel very uncomfortable. Many think it's demeaning to give an adult a doll, or that it's reinforcing delusions. Discover how doll therapy can benefit individuals with dementia and learn about how we implement dolls in our programming at Insight Memory Care Center.

Doll therapy is a non-pharmacological technique used with individuals with dementia. One study found "statistically significant differences in aggression, obsessive behaviors, wandering, negative verbalization, negative mood...after introduction of the doll therapy intervention."

 "It is not a toy or plaything, but a genuine tool to promote relaxation."
 

Doll therapy benefits for individuals with dementia 

• Doll therapy can provide a sense of purpose and care taking responsibility.
• Doll therapy can reinforce a familial bond, which can reduce anxiety when family is not in view. 
• Doll therapy can promote reminiscing about early days of fatherhood and motherhood.
• Dolls can be a constant for a person with dementia, a constant in an unfamiliar environment

Our doll therapy engagement is some of the highest we see with our late stage participants at Insight. It can also help start a conversation about their children, motherhood and fatherhood, and being a grandparent.

It's not about treating the person with dementia like a child, but engaging them in a way that benefits them.
 

Tips for facilitating doll therapy with your loved one with dementia

• Do not force doll therapy, but just as an available option.
• Do not purchase a doll that cries, as this can be distressing. 
• If they are treating the doll as real, respond accordingly. Do not throw the doll or carry it by its legs. 
• If they seem stressed about caretaking for the doll, communicate that the baby is safe and being looked after. 
• Keep an open mind! Facilitating doll therapy can be uncomfortable at first, but it has the possibility of being extremely beneficial.

At Insight, we’ve seen firsthand how this technique can improve engagement and emotional well-being, particularly in later stages of dementia. It’s important to remember that doll therapy isn’t about treating someone like a child, but rather offering them a tool for connection, comfort, and care. With the right approach, doll therapy can be a simple yet effective way to enrich the lives of individuals living with dementia, offering them moments of peace, joy, and connection.

Author

Sarah Richart, CDP is a Recreation Assistant with Insight's Day Center Recreation Team.

References

Dementia UK. (2023, October). Using dolls in dementia care (doll therapy). Dementia UK. https://www.dementiauk.org/information-and-support/living-with-dementia/doll-therapy/

Gorman, A. (2019). NPR Choice page. Npr.org. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/10/03/495655678/doll-therapy-may-help-calm-people-with-dementia-but-it-has-critics

Martín-García, A., Corregidor-Sánchez, A.-I., Fernández-Moreno, V., Alcántara-Porcuna, V., & Criado-Álvarez, J.-J. (2022). Effect of Doll Therapy in Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: a Systematic Review. Healthcare, 10(3), 421. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10030421

Sauer, A. (2017). Pros and Cons of Doll Therapy for Alzheimer’s. Alzheimers.net. https://www.alzheimers.net/8-6-14-doll-therapy-alzheimers

Shin, J. H. (2015). Doll Therapy: An Intervention for Nursing Home Residents With Dementia. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 53(1), 13–18. https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20141218-03