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For those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, life can seem dull and meaningless. Scientists are constantly trying to find alternative healing techniques, like doll therapy, to assist with the pain and hurt patients may be feeling.
What Is Doll Therapy?
Doll therapy is a type of treatment for people with Alzheimer’s using a baby doll that resembles life-like features including weight, hair, and moving eyes. Studies have found that after introducing dolls to a patient, the doll-users showed an increased positive behavior and a decrease in aggression. In result, scientists believe that using dolls to complement therapy efforts can lead to more positive behaviors and moods.
There are some guidelines to carefully follow when introducing a new doll to your loved one. Learn how to approach this situation and begin using doll therapy.
Seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s can benefit in many ways from participating in doll therapy.
1.Calming Effects
Alzheimer’s patients can feel soothed when holding a baby. It’s a calming activity that can bring down tension during a stressful situation. The act of holding, rocking and swaying a baby doll can allow your loved one to have a sense of serenity again.
2. Reduction in Wandering
Having a baby doll to take care of is a means of distracting those with memory loss diseases. Similar to real babies, they require lots of attention and caretaking. Spending time taking care of a baby doll will take away from wandering off by focusing their mind on a specific task.
3. More Communication
A natural part of taking care of a baby is talking to it and the same is true for baby dolls. This can create a dialogue, or at least, more opportunity to create a conversation with your loved one. If you’re seeing to receive more communication from your loved one, the effects of doll therapy can fill this gap.
4. Relief From Hurt
Alzheimer’s disease takes a toll on seniors with not only mental effects but also physical decline. Your loved one is most likely experiencing pain from feelings of worthlessness or depression. Being in recurring confused states can also cause tiring and sluggish states. Having a doll to take care of and look after can often relieve some of these pains because there’s a focus switch to something that requires acute attention. Sometimes memories can also be triggered from holding a baby doll and remembering similar past events.
5. Nurturing Feelings
When elders suffering memory loss have a baby to take care of, feeling of nurturing will come rushing back to them. Patients will feel, and sometimes remember, how it felt to have a child and spend effort and time in nurturing it.
Unlimited Care Cottages has experienced caretakers that can help your loved one with the introduction of doll therapy. Call us today to see why our assisted living cottages are the perfect environment for improving dependence among those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s.
