Stuffed Animals and their Benefits on Alzheimer

August 10, 2017

Stuffed animals and baby dolls can be therapeutic for people who have Alzheimer’s, as shown by both anecdotal evidence and research studies. However, some people say this is demeaning and beneath the dignity of the person.

Others warn against overusing these “props.” For example, Bell and Troxel, writing in The Best Friends Approach, say:

“Activities should be adult in nature. Activities that are unnecessarily juvenile can provoke frustration, even anger. Some persons with Alzheimer’s disease respond to dolls or children’s toys, but we should not use this fact as an excuse to keep all activities at this level.”

As a personal opinion, I believe not only can these children’s toys be used; they must be used if it’s clear the person is enjoying them.

Let’s have to two examples from research studies.

In the first, in an article published in Dementia in 2015, researchers studied the effects of dolls on people with Alzheimer’s. According to the study,

“Participants [in the research] had an increase in level of happiness, activity/liveliness, interaction with staff and others, and ease of giving care. There was also a reduction in the level of anxiety.”

The second example is from a 2001 Japanese research study with stuffed animals. The researchers found that:

“Most of the patients were interested in the toys, and they looked much happier and less agitated.”

So you may want to try giving your loved one stuffed animals or, in the case of women, baby dolls. You may be pleasantly surprised by the results.