Howdy folks - hope you don't mind me butting in here
Very interesting article on Doll Therapy... I've rad loads on this but have never seen it in practice - thanks for sharing some insight into that, Pat.
Here is something that I have experienced though one (I'm a Staff Nurse working on a Dementia Assessment Ward by the way) -
One lady who had been brought a teddy bear by a relative... it was hard to ascertain what she identified this as, due to communication difficulties, but would often walk around with it, and sit it on it's own chair and talk to it etc.
Now I have nothing against that... but some of the other patients commented...
"Look at her! A grown woman walking around with a teddy bear" etc.
And although you'd discuss tis with them, it wouldn't dissuade them from their comments - they were just voicing their opinions though which they are indeed entitled to.
And I can remember a similar incident in a residential home my auntie was in, and one of the residents had a plush pig soft toy... unfortunately, she was referred to as 'The Pig Lady' by a lot of the residents, many of whom were not tolerant or understanding of this (many of whom did not have dementia, although the lady in question did).
So what's my point?
Simply this - I wonder if there is a certain stigma attached to this... I would love to see it applied as a therapy in order to make an informed judgement, but I feel that it would have to be EVERYONE doing it to see this work effectively.
So if anyone else has any info. on this based on what they've seen or read, please can you post here - would love to hear more.
Thanks again for posting, mojofilter.
N.