Emotionally Personalized Doll Therapy for Behavioral Symptoms in an 88-Year-Old Woman With Alzheimer's Disease: A...

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), such as agitation, sleep disturbance, and repetitive speech, are common in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and significantly burden both patients and caregivers. Doll therapy (DT) has been explored as a nonpharmacological approach in institutional care, but the potential role of emotionally personalized dolls in home care remains underreported. We describe an 88-year-old woman with AD who presented with persistent nocturnal agitation, repetitive vocalizations, and restlessness despite stable pharmacological management. During a household rearrangement, she reencountered her granddaughter's childhood doll. She quickly developed a strong emotional attachment and engaged with the doll in caregiving behaviors (cradling, rocking, singing, and feeding gestures). Within days, her agitation and repetitive speech markedly decreased. Sleep continuity improved, daytime activity increased, and her emotional expression became richer. She was more cooperative at mealtimes, demonstrated modest motor gains, and on several occasions verbalized urinary needs. Hallucinatory speech diminished substantially. Notably, she refused interaction with other dolls, suggesting that the personal and emotional significance of this specific doll was central to the observed improvement. This case highlights the potential therapeutic value of integrating emotionally personalized objects into dementia care at home. Personalized doll therapy may help activate residual emotional memory and attachment systems, leading to meaningful behavioral improvements without changes in medication. While promising, these findings are limited to a single case and warrant further investigation through systematic studies.