Abstract

Dementia is a condition exhibited by emotional and physical states such as anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness, inability to care for oneself, wandering, defiant and sometimes violent behavior, and other unsafe actions. Chemical restraints are often used to control agitated behaviors, but are not always effective and produce untoward effects. A review of the literature for alternative therapies to chemical restraints indicated that doll therapy has provided purposeful activity that can help dementia residents feel useful. In most instances they are less agitated, sleep better, relate to others better, and have an over-all positive affect improvement (Baumann, 1990, Higging, 2010, & James, Mackenzie, & Mukaetova-Ladinska, 2006). The PICOT question for this evidence based project was: In female residents over 65 with moderate to severe dementia (P), how does exposure to baby-doll therapy (I) compared to no baby-doll therapy exposure (C) influence behavior (O) over a one-week period (T)? The project was implemented using the Rosswurm and Larrabee framework (1999) "A Model for Change to Evidence-Based Practice. An "Implementation Protocol for Baby Doll Therapy in Dementia Residents" was developed based on the evidence found in the literature.

Notes

Conducting any evidence-based project such as this would not be possible without the help and expertise of those involved with the project. In that context I wish to thank my project Chair, Dr. Phyllis Gaspar, whose many hours of editing and critical review were so invaluable, and my committee members Dr. Judy Ribak and Dr. Gladeen Roberts for their critical reviews and recommendations for the project. I wish to thank Ms. Jodi Jamison, the UT Librarian who did searches and advised me on so many items. I also need to thank the nursing director, the staff, the patients, and the family members of the dementia center where I implemented this project! Lastly, I offer my regards and thanks to all of those who supported me in any respect during the completion of the project.

Author Details

Barbara A. Braden, DNP, MS, MSN, FNP, NP-C

Sigma Membership

Nu Phi

Type

DNP Capstone Project

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Outcomes Research

Research Approach

Mixed/Multi Method Research

Keywords:

Dementia, Dolls, Alternative Therapies

Advisor

Phyllis Gaspar

Second Advisor

Judy Ribak

Third Advisor

Gladeen Roberts

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

The University of Toledo

Degree Year

2014

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Faculty Approved: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Self-submission

Date of Issue

2014-05-09

Full Text of Presentation

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