Looking For A Stuffed Animal When I Came Across This

fmdog44

fmdog44

Well-known Member
Location
Houston, Texas
I was on line looking for a stuffed squirrel when I started to see ads stating they (all toy stuffed animals) are great for dementia sufferers. What the heck does that mean?! I interpret that as kind of cruel.
 

fmdog44 said:
I was on line looking for a stuffed squirrel when I started to see ads stating they (all toy stuffed animals) are great for dementia sufferers. What the heck does that mean?! I interpret that as kind of cruel.
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I don't know. Cruel? I think the stuffed (or as we prefer: "viscerally challenged") animals may get confused by the erratic behavior of their human companion.

Our three sheep get lots of love, and when we dress them up with holiday costumes that I've created on my sewing machine, I can tell, by their big smiles, that they are happy campers. I'm not sure they'd be as happy with a demented owner.

Obviously, as evident here, I'm totally in great mental health, right?
 
My 95 year old Aunt is in a Nursing Home, and has dementia. She has a stuffed dog one of her grand kids gave her. All I know is she keeps it with her at all times and loves it to death. She sees it as her pet , talks to it, and it obviously makes her happy. She gave it the name of a dog she and my Uncle had for many years.
Has it been good for her? Who knows. My cousin says she seems less agitated when holding and petting the dog. So, maybe there is something to it.
 

I googled it. Here's what came up:
"Even though dogs and cats might not be an option, seniors with dementia have been known to respond extremely well to realistic stuffed animals. They bring emotional comfort, which can improve their overall quality of life. ... It may seem like child's play but adults need stuffed animals too!"
I just came out of an assisted living home. A few of the residents, as Marie5656 said, carry those stuffed animals right , around, always next to them. They held on to them for dear life.
 
Our sheep, Sheepee, Sheepette, and Sheepateenie, are family members. They've traveled all over the country with us. I would never give them up. They are good to have around, and they never complain about anything. I understand, 100%, why those with dementia would benefit from pets like our sheep. I honestly can't fathom why anyone would take issue with the therapeutic value of such a thing.20190704_211429.jpg
 
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I wouldn’t mind having a stuffed animal or so! Mobility limitations doesn’t permit me to keep pets any more. I’ve heard some nursing homes give the women baby dolls to fool around with. Personally, I’d probably throw it across the room if that was offered to me. Never liked dolls even as a kid.
 
treeguy64 said:
I don't know. Cruel? I think the stuffed (or as we prefer: "viscerally challenged") animals may get confused by the erratic behavior of their human companion.

Our three sheep get lots of love, and when we dress them up with holiday costumes that I've created on my sewing machine, I can tell, by their big smiles, that they are happy campers. I'm not sure they'd be as happy with a demented owner.

Obviously, as evident here, I'm totally in great mental health, right?
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Apparently not.
 
Geezerette said:
I wouldn’t mind having a stuffed animal or so! Mobility limitations doesn’t permit me to keep pets any more. I’ve heard some nursing homes give the women baby dolls to fool around with. Personally, I’d probably throw it across the room if that was offered to me. Never liked dolls even as a kid.
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I never minded those that look like ''dolls'', but the realistic looking ones give me the creeps, like their eyes are following me.
 
What is going on here is acknowledging the "Cycle of Life" as told by my freind from Syria by giving stuffed animals to dementia sufferers. We have to care for the elderly patients as we did when they were infants giving them little stuffed animals. Sad.
 
re: Cycle of Life
so called survivors of death who recall seeing a tunnel leading to a bright light -- as a baby does, only it's tunnel is the birth canal and the bright light is a hospital room.
 
fmdog44 said:
What is going on here is acknowledging the "Cycle of Life" as told by my freind from Syria by giving stuffed animals to dementia sufferers. We have to care for the elderly patients as we did when they were infants giving them little stuffed animals. Sad.
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Not really. My mum loved animals and taught me to always treat them with kindness. In her dotage when she needed out of home care I bought her a stuffed toy in the form of a dog. Being pink and white it wasn't even realistic but she enjoyed it and it resided on her bed. We named it Douglas and it served as a conversation starter and a distraction when needed. What harm is there in this little bit of comfort to someone who is out of their element and possibly very anxious?

I have also seen old ladies carrying around baby dolls. They cling to them and seem to be happy to have them. IMO much better than chemical restraints to keep them calm.
 


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