Media contributions
1Media contributions
Title Doll Therapy May Help Calm People With Dementia, But It Has Critics Degree of recognition International Media name/outlet NPR (National Public Radio) Media type Radio Country/Territory United Kingdom Date 03/10/2016 Description Media Snippet: "Having the doll ... offers them an anchor or a sense of attachment in a time of uncertainty," says Gary Mitchell, a nurse specialist at Four Seasons Health Care facilities in Northern Ireland, and author of a new book: Doll Therapy in Dementia Care: Evidence and Practice.
"A lot of people associate the doll with their younger days and having people to care for," Mitchell says.
However, he acknowledges that doll therapy can perpetuate the stigma associated with dementia that care givers are trying to get away from.
Some families worry about their relatives being laughed at when they engage in doll therapy, Mitchell says. He had the same concerns when he worked at a senior residential center. But when one resident requested that he allow her to continue caring for a doll, he saw the positive impact of the therapy. Mitchell says doll therapy should be used cautiously and more studies are needed.Producer/Author Anna Gorman URL https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/10/03/495655678/doll-therapy-may-help-calm-people-with-dementia-but-it-has-critics Persons Gary Mitchell