DOLLS HELPING PATIENTS

Doll therapy, which started somewhat by accident at Actionmarguerite two years ago, has proven to be especially effective for dementia and Alzheimer’s residents. "She was a lovely resident, and the perfect grandmother. But she would become aggressive in the afternoons, and kept repeating that she needed to get home to look after her grandchildren. This was a daily occurrence. I tried a number of therapeutic approaches, but with her dementia, nothing worked." That was in August 2016. Stéphanie Rouet had just started as a social worker at Actionmarguerite and felt powerless to help the visibly distressed grandmother. "Then one day, I saw a picture of a doll, and I said to myself, 'If she thinks she needs to take care of a child, why not give her a doll to look after?' I approached the family and they were eager to give it a try. I brought the resident a doll, and the change was amazing. This doll, a simple transitional object, triggered happy memories and brought her peace of mind." Stéphanie Rouet had just unknowingly tried out doll therapy, widely used in the United States since the 1980s. Susie Piad, a Recreation Worker at Actionmarguerite, had also been interested in this alternative therapy for the past year. The therapist had desperately been looking for a way to bring a bit of comfort to the many residents at Actionmarguerite with advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s. "I realized that this therapy was especially appropriate for these residents. It creates a connection between the patient and the doll, and breaks up the boredom of the long days by introducing a new routine around the doll: nap time, bath time, diaper change time…It gives the residents a purpose." All patients – women, men, and people who had never had children – seem to instinctively adopt protective behaviours. Sometimes a stuffed animal is just as effective. "It's not unusual to hear a patient say: ‘the baby is cold', or the 'baby is hungry’. It's their way of expressing their feelings without having to use words. It is also very helpful to the caregiver staff, who need to be very involved in the therapy and play along for it to work," adds Susie Piad. In the two years since she first introduced doll therapy, the therapist has seen a significant improvement in the unit. "While no quantified study exists, the unit is much calmer and we are using fewer psychotropic drugs. I can't see any negative aspect to doll therapy." Better yet, as a result of their respective experiences at Actionmarguerite, Stéphanie Rouet and Susie Piad now give information sessions on this therapy at other institutions, including recently for Winnipeg's Geriatric Mental Health team. At the very least, this simple therapeutic initiative has also put a smile back on the faces of professionals who often feel helpless in dealing with their patients’ distress.