Doll therapy for dementia sufferers: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychiatry
• Dementia Care

Background:

• Dementia affects over 47.5 million globally, with numbers rising due to aging populations.
• Challenging behaviors are common in advanced dementia, necessitating effective management strategies.
• Non-pharmacologic interventions are increasingly explored for dementia care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effectiveness of doll therapy in managing dementia symptoms.
• To assess the impact of doll therapy on cognitive, behavioral, and emotional aspects of dementia care.
• To evaluate doll therapy's role in improving overall well-being and environmental interaction for dementia patients.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of 12 published studies, primarily cohort and observational designs.
• Analysis focused on studies investigating doll therapy in patients with advanced dementia.
• Synthesized findings regarding the impact of doll therapy on various dementia-related symptoms.

Main Results:

• Doll therapy demonstrated alleviation of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional symptoms in most cases.
• Improvements in overall well-being and enhanced interaction with the external environment were observed.
• The therapy appeared effective in managing challenging behaviors associated with advanced dementia.

Conclusions:

• Doll therapy is a potentially effective non-pharmacologic strategy for dementia care.
• It aligns with person-centered care principles and can improve patient quality of life.
• Further robust randomized controlled trials are recommended to strengthen empirical evidence.