HOW NURTURA SUPPORTS AGED CARE AND NDIS SETTINGS
Nurtura supports aged care and NDIS settings through realistic, weighted silicone dolls designed for doll therapy, sensory engagement, and gentle interaction. In addition, Nurtura offers a more accessible and practical alternative to high-cost reborn dolls. As a result, organisations can explore doll therapy in aged care, dementia support, and disability settings in a calm, non-clinical way.
Organisations can purchase dolls for independent use, or alternatively, engage Nurtura to facilitate sessions tailored to their residents, participants, clients, or group setting.
DOLL THERAPY IN AGED CARE AND NDIS SETTINGS
Across aged care and disability support environments, carers sometimes use doll therapy to encourage calm interaction, familiarity, emotional connection, and sensory engagement. Realistic dolls, including reborn-style and silicone dolls, may support engagement through simple nurturing activities such as holding, settling, or gentle conversation.
In dementia care and NDIS support settings, teams often explore doll therapy as part of person-centred and sensory-based approaches. While outcomes vary between individuals, many carers report meaningful moments of comfort, reduced agitation, companionship, routine, and connection.
Consequently, more organisations now explore doll therapy in Australia as a practical, non-clinical way to support emotional wellbeing and interaction within shared care environments.
“Evidence shows the use of empathy dolls may help reduce agitation and anxiety and improve overall quality of life in people living with dementia.”
WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN WIDELY ACCESSIBLE
Historically, many settings relied on artist-created reborn dolls as part of doll therapy programs. Although these dolls are highly detailed, they often cost several thousand dollars, sometimes over $5,000 each. Because of this, many organisations struggle to purchase enough dolls for shared or repeated use.
As a result, adoption has remained limited, especially in environments needing flexible access across residents, participants, staff, and programs.
A MORE PRACTICAL APPROACH FOR SHARED SETTINGS
Nurtura offers a more practical alternative through realistic, weighted silicone dolls designed for real-world doll therapy and sensory support settings. Rather than focusing on preservation, Nurtura prioritises interaction, repeated use, and gentle engagement across aged care, dementia support, and NDIS environments.
This approach allows organisations to explore doll therapy at a more accessible level while also supporting shared use across staff, participants, and community-based programs.
In addition, Nurtura aims to make doll therapy in Australia more achievable for organisations seeking realistic, calming, and emotionally supportive engagement tools without the high cost associated with traditional reborn dolls.
RESEARCH AND CONTEXT
Doll therapy has been explored in dementia care, aged care, and disability support settings as part of broader person-centred approaches to comfort, connection, and emotional wellbeing. In particular, research into doll therapy and empathy dolls has considered how realistic dolls may support calm, engagement, nurturing interaction, and reduced agitation for some people living with dementia.
Nurtura Babies are not medical or therapeutic devices, and they are not intended to replace clinical care. However, they may offer a gentle, sensory way to support connection in aged care, NDIS, dementia support, and community settings. For further reading, you may like to explore resources from Dementia Australia, Alzheimer’s Society, and peer-reviewed research on doll therapy in dementia care.
“Using dolls can provide people with dementia an opportunity to interact with a lifelike baby doll in a manner that may be therapeutic to them.”
TWO WAYS TO WORK WITH NURTURA
Every care setting is different, so Nurtura offers flexible options depending on your environment, participants, staff capacity, and intended use. Nurtura aims to make doll therapy in Australia more accessible for aged care providers, NDIS organisations, and community support environments.
PURCHASE DOLLS FOR YOUR ORGANISATION
Organisations can purchase dolls for ongoing use within aged care homes, memory support environments, NDIS programs, SIL homes, or community-based support settings. Dolls may be used by staff to support quiet interaction, routine, companionship, or guided engagement.
BOOK A FACILITATED SESSION
Facilitated sessions are custom created to suit your setting. They may include calm one-on-one visits, small group engagement, guided sensory interaction, or shared nurturing experiences designed around the needs, comfort levels, and communication styles of participants.
CALL TO DISCUSS YOUR ORGANISATION’S NEEDS
SAFE, SCREENED, AND SETTING APPROPRIATE
Nurtura facilitators hold the relevant checks required for care and support environments, including National Police Checks, Working With Children Checks, and NDIS Worker Screening Checks where required. Sessions are delivered with care, respect, and sensitivity to the needs of each organisation and participant group.
SEE HOW THIS APPROACH IS USED IN PRACTICE
These articles highlight how organisations are using realistic silicone dolls to support engagement, routine, and connection across aged care and NDIS settings, helping you explore whether this approach is right for your environment.
A reborn doll alternative for people who want comfort, not collecting
