Bognor Regis care home introduces HUG dolls which offer comfort to residents in end-of-life care

MHA Greenways has brought in six HUG dolls for its residents which are designed to offer comfort and replicate the same feelings they would get from hugging a relative or loved one.

The product is designed to be cuddled and has a beating heart within its soft body. They can also play music of your choice to intensify comfort levels.

Research has shown the dolls can improve a person’s quality of life by reducing anxiety, agitation and enhancing social interaction.

Joanne Mitchell, activity coordinator at MHA Greenways, said: “We had the initial training session on how to use the dolls and we covered what the benefits were.

“During the sessions I was cuddling one of the dolls and I was very impressed with what they did.

“The dolls are weighted around the arm which gives you a strong hold and it genuinely feels like you are hugging someone.

“With the passing of The Queen, the residents felt really low, and they needed a well-deserved hug.

“We have tried some of the dolls with residents and they do find them quite comforting and soothing.

“We are aiming to distribute the dolls across the home and will see where they get most use.

“Even though they're aimed at those residents who are living with dementia we will not restrict usage just to them, they are available for any of the residents to use.”