Authors (including presenting author) :
Leung WY (1), Wu SW (1), Po TF (1), Lee HS (1), Hui N (1)
Affiliation :
(1) Occupational Therapy Department, United Christian Hospital
Introduction :
Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) can significantly impact both patients and caregivers. Symptoms vary in duration and severity which may include agitation, aggression, anxiety and hallucinations. It may not only affect one’s quality of life, but also place considerable burden on caregivers in nursing homes as they provide self-care assistance to them.
Doll therapy has emerged as a non-pharmacological intervention for BPSD, with the aim to promote positive social behaviors, reduce anxiety and foster expression of unmet needs. This study evaluates its impact on social interaction, emotional well-being, and the reduction of BPSD among nursing home residents in Kwun Tong.
Objectives :
To investigate the effectiveness of doll therapy in reducing BPSD symptoms of individuals with dementia and alleviating caregiver stress of nursing home caregivers.
Methodology :
A quasi-experimental study was adopted with subjects recruited from nursing homes under Kwun Tong Community Geriatric Assessment Team (CGAT). Residents aged 65 or above, with moderate-to-severe dementia with BPSD features, and shown interest in doll therapy were recruited. After first doll therapy session, Occupational Therapist (OT) trained nursing home staff to deliver doll therapy on daily basis during the 2-month intervention period, with follow-up sessions by OT for compliance monitoring. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home version (NPI-NH) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used as pre-post measurement.
Result & Outcome :
6 female nursing homes residents with BPSD (age mean=86.6) were recruited from December 2022 to October 2024. 5 residents had completed the intervention and 1 passed away during the study period. Results from paired t-tests shown statistically significant difference in pre-post NPI symptoms (pre-test mean=8.4, post-test mean=3.0, p=0.044) and occupational disturbance (pre-test mean=3.6, post-test mean=1.2, p=0.033). While pre-post GDS shown no significant difference (pre-test mean=5.2, post-test mean=4.6, p=0.374).
Doll therapy was proven effective in reducing BPSD symptoms of individuals with dementia and occupational disturbances to nursing home caregivers. This study excluded residents uninterested in doll therapy, highlighting the person-centered nature of the therapy, where individual responses to the doll can vary. Doll therapy should be therefore considered a viable non-pharmacological intervention for managing BPSD. However, further study with larger sample size should be warranted.
