Dolls and toys bring comfort and emotional stability

RESIDENTS at a North Devon nursing home are benefiting from a therapeutic approach that uses dolls and soft toys to bring comfort and emotional stability to people living with dementia.

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Staff at Edenmore Nursing Home in Ilfracombe, part of the Evolve Care Group, have introduced doll therapy as a regular part of daily life for residents with dementia.

The method, which involves providing life-like dolls or soft toys to residents, is being credited with improving mood, easing agitation and helping people connect with long-held emotions.

Home manager Gayle Cooper said one resident, who carries a doll in a pram and insists it is treated like a real baby, has become noticeably calmer since the therapy began.