How can doll therapy help someone with dementia?

Most of us know someone affected by dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are around 800,000 people in the UK with the condition and this number will rise to an estimated 1 million by 2021.

Although doll therapy is mostly used in care homes, there’s no reason it can’t also be introduced by a relative or friend caring for someone with dementia at home. Research suggests that caring for a doll can help to improve the wellbeing of someone with the condition and encourage changes in behaviour, helping to reduce aggression and agitation.

Here, we take a ‘beginners’ look at doll therapy. If you’re thinking of trying it, we’d suggest doing your own research too. We’ve listed some useful articles further in this post to help get you started.

First things first; doll therapy isn’t for everyone. And there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ approach to using it. If you’re caring for someone with dementia, you’ll best understand their needs. If you decide to try doll therapy, introduce it slowly. Don’t force it.

There’s a lot published already about the benefits of doll therapy. For the person with dementia, looking after the doll can give them a role, a sense of purpose; it can fulfil a need to care, to give and receive love. It may also help stimulate happy memories. All of this can increase self-esteem and provide comfort during anxiety. For the carer, it helps to start a conversation; you can talk about the doll and carry out activities together, such as bathing the doll, washing or folding its clothes. It introduces a common bond between you and the person you’re caring for.

If you’re considering using doll therapy, you’re probably wondering what sort of doll to get. Really, this depends on who you’re caring for; you might need to try a few different ones before you get it right. The Alzheimer’s Society has a useful online post, written by caregivers, about the different types of doll to choose from. Regardless of which doll you choose, you should have a small selection of clean clothes and blankets. And you may also want to consider getting a moses basket, for when the doll isn’t being used.

As with most therapies, doll therapy isn’t without its criticisms and there’s a notable lack of research about its long term use. Care homes have reported residents arguing over dolls and the person with dementia may put the doll’s needs before their own, not sleeping or eating because they’re busy looking after it. Another criticism is that it infantilises the person with dementia, encouraging them to behave like a child and failing to treat them with respect and dignity. However others argue that, when the person with dementia has chosen to care for a doll, it’s the family that experience the indignity rather than the person with dementia. It’s a complex debate.

If you’re thinking about trying doll therapy, it may be helpful to talk with others who know the person you’re caring for; relatives, friends, health professionals. Should you decide to give doll therapy a try, introduce the doll gradually and look for signs of wellbeing – smiling, laughing, talking, reduced anxiety – but be aware of signs of distress too.

We’d also recommend doing your own research too. Here are some useful articles to get you started:

My Story: Using Doll Therapy to Engage (Alzheimer’s Society)
Written by a caregiver about her experience of using doll therapy with her Mum.

Doll Therapy in Dementia (National Institute for Health Care Excellence)
Various studies about the use and impact of doll therapy

Care homes use ‘doll therapy’ for residents with dementia (The Guardian)
An article published in 2013, looking at how the therapy is used in care homes.

If you’d like to talk about dementia more generally, contact the Alzheimer’s Society.